


Equilibrium

by Scarlet_Gryphon



Series: Scarlet_Gryphon's Sentinel/Guide AUs [4]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, The Sentinel
Genre: (Well except for the bad guys), Alternate Universe - Anakin Skywalker Doesn't Turn to the Dark Side, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Jar Jar-speak is hard, M/M, Minimal Jar Jar Binks, Politics, Qui-Gon Lives, Relationships but no sex shown, Sentinel/Guide AU, Sentinel/Guide Bonding, Shmi Lives, Some OOC due to AU, Some timelines get shifted around for plot reasons, Yoda-speak is hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2018-12-19 08:18:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 30,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11893731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlet_Gryphon/pseuds/Scarlet_Gryphon
Summary: The prophecy of the Chosen One only spoke of a being who would bring balance. It never said how, nor that they had to be a Jedi.~/~Or, the Sentinel/Guide AU that started life as a simple Baze/Chirrut fluff fic and started growing faster than dandelions in the summer.





	1. Small Beginnings, Big Changes

**Author's Note:**

> I blame my roommate C entirely for this, so, naturally, this 'fic is dedicated to her.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there lived a boy named Anakin. He was a slave on the hot desert planet of Tatooine, and had been there for all nine years of his short life. Recently he'd been getting odd rashes from his clothes and hearing things he definitely shouldn't have been able to from so far away. His mother had warned him to try not to let it affect his work, as Watto would likely either punish him for it or try to take advantage, depending on his mood. Anakin did as told, keeping his clothes wrapped around him as tightly as he could stand so he didn't come into contact with anything at work that would cause a reaction.

His life changed when a fourteen-year-old angel and her three companions entered it, bringing with them excitement and the proclamation that Anakin could be a Jedi with the proper training. Leaving his mother had been hard, with a part of him feeling like it was being torn in two. Anakin swore he could hear the distant and eerie cry of a canyon krayt dragon as he left his mother's side and joined the Jedi on their ship. What followed was insanity. Anakin found himself in the middle of a pitched star battle, and when he got back to the base, he found that all of his senses were overwhelmingly enhanced to the point of pain. He stayed tightly curled up in the closed cockpit, R2 making worried soft bleeps and whistles until someone came to retrieve the both of them.

Thankfully, it was Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan who arrived first. The Jedi Knight took one look at Anakin and then reached out with the Force to soothe his screaming senses. Anakin sagged in relief before passing out from all the adrenaline and pain that left his body in one large rush. Qui-Gon sighed softly before turning to his Padawan, who was still keyed up from the near-fatal battle they'd had with Darth Maul.

“It seems we will need to stop by Jedha before we return to Coruscant. Anakin appears to have come online as a Sentinel, and he will need the training that can only be found at the Temple there.”

“Does that mean he'll never be a Jedi?” Obi-Wan asked, brow furrowing slightly.

“It means that his path will be different than the one we believed he would take,” Qui-Gon replied, “but it does not mean that we won't see him again, nor will he be forbidden from using a lightsaber.”

He carefully scooped Anakin out of the cockpit, cradling him close to his chest before making his way to the nearest Sentinel-friendly infirmary. Once they had Anakin safely in the care of specialists used to dealing with Sentinels, the two men used an open hologram communications chamber to speak with the Jedi Council.

“Master Jinn. Padawan Kenobi. Good to see you, it is,” Master Yoda said once the signal connected. “News from Naboo, you possess?”

“Yes, Master Yoda,” Qui-Gon replied with a short bow, Obi-Wan mirroring his greeting beside him. “The battle here is over and the blockade has been lifted.”

“That is good news,” Master Windu commented.

“Yes, though we did encounter the Sith from Tatooine here,” Qui-Gon continued. There was a brief wave of murmurs at that before Yoda cleared his throat pointedly.

“Continue.”

“Of course. We engaged him in one of the generator rooms beneath the palace in Theed. He was a very skilled fighter, and used the terrain to his advantage.” Qui-Gon paused, sending a short glance Obi-Wan's way before soldiering on. “He managed to separate us briefly, and likely would have killed me had my Padawan not interfered with one of the strongest Force pushes I've seen in some time. The Sith hit one of the walls hard enough to snap his neck. We verified that he was actually dead and then went to rejoin the battle.”

“And the body? Is it secure?” Master Billaba asked, leaning forward in her chair.

“The Naboo Royal Guard are overseeing the full cremation as we speak,” Qui-Gon said. “We were going to bring it back with us, but the medics believe that doing so would affect Anakin far too adversely.”

“I know you think he's the Chosen One of the prophecy, but he doesn't need to be coddled like that,” Master Windu said with a deep frown.

“He's a Sentinel,” Obi-Wan broke in, fighting his instinct to blush and duck his head when the whole of the Council's attention suddenly was focused on him. He steeled himself and kept going. “Anakin had to be sedated a few minutes after he woke out of a brief sensory fugue because he could smell the Sith on us. He nearly went into a feral rage because of it. The only person who could get close to him was Queen Amidala.” He paused before ending with, “He recognized her as his Guide before the doctors were able to sedate him, and a juvenile bond has already formed between them since then. They won't feel the urge to bond until the both of them are of age and ready for it, according to the doctors. We will be taking Anakin to Jedha so he can begin his training there. The Queen says that she's already aware of her empathic gifts and has been taking private training from members of her Court.”

The Council lapsed into a thoughtful silence at that announcement. The Order had never quite agreed with the attachment-filled lives of the Sentinels and Guides, but there was no disputing that they were deadly warriors that were chosen by the Force. There had never been a report of a Sentinel or Guide becoming trapped by the allure of the Dark Side, as their roles as protectors of the tribe-- and in turn, the galaxy as a whole –kept them stable, as did their bonds with their Force-chosen partners. That didn't mean, however, that they were entirely on the Light Side, either. As a whole, Sentinels and Guides were uniquely balanced between the two sides of the Force, bearing a grudging distinction of being gray or neutral Jedi, should they decide to take up that mantle.

“Do you still believe he is the child of the prophecy, then?” Master Billaba inquired, focusing on Qui-Gon as she spoke. Qui-Gon took a moment to compose his answer before he replied.

“I do. He may not be taking the traditional path of a Jedi, but he is still touched deeply by the Force. The prophecy is... murky, at best. All we know is that there will be someone born with a great affinity for the Force that will bring balance. Exactly _what_ that balance will be brought to, be that the Force or something else, is not clear. We may not know what the prophecy means, exactly, but I have little doubt that Anakin will be serving the Force exactly as is needed and intended, not to mention that he will be a vital force for change, no matter what title he bears.”

There was silence again before Master Yoda brought his gimer stick down sharply on the hard floor of the Council chamber. “To Jedha, then, take him you must,” he announced. “Return to Coruscant after, hmm?”

“Of course, Master Yoda. Thank you, honored Council members,” Qui-Gon said, bowing once more. Obi-Wan copied him before the connection was terminated.

“Well,” Obi-Wan said thoughtfully. “That went better than I expected.”

“I believe the Council is happy that they won't have to make a decision on whether or not Anakin would be allowed to be trained as a Jedi,” Qui-Gon mused. “We'd best go clean ourselves up and then collect Anakin so we can get him to Jedha as soon as possible.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “That sounds reasonable enough,” he said as they left the communications chamber. “I just hope he doesn't feel like we're betraying him. After all, we did promise that he could become a Jedi.”

“He still will be, albeit a different kind of Jedi than we are,” Qui-Gon said, guiding his Padawan back to the ship so they could clean up and change. They left Naboo several hours later, Anakin safely tucked away in his bunk as they slipped into hyperspace, heading for Jedha and Anakin's future.

 


	2. First Impressions

[One standard month prior]

  
  


Chirrut Îmwe moved through the Jedha Sentinel/Guide Temple with purpose, the soft tapping of his metal-capped walking staff marking his progress as he went. He knew most people expected him to have a cane or guidance droid that most visually impaired people used to navigate the galaxy when planet-side, but he was quite content to use the sturdy and carefully treated staff to make his way around. Besides, it wasn't like he was _entirely_ blind. The accident that had taken his sight when he was barely older than ten had also awoken his Guide gifts, and he'd honed them over the years to enable him to 'see' other people by their empathic auras. Chirrut had found that he was able to navigate the world quite easily that way, not to mention the fact that his spirit guide, a sharp-eyed sand skimmer by the name of Minzhe, could aid him if needed.

Most people were surprised that his empathic gifts had awakened due to his injuries, but Chirrut had long ago figured that the Force had had other plans for him-- not to mention a Sentinel at some point --so had never been too worried about what other people thought. He made his way to one of the larger public meditation rooms, setting his staff down next to himself once he'd sat down on the nicely padded floor. He arranged himself in a neat tailor's seat before sinking into a meditative state, his breath even and slow.

The spirit plane was as eerily beautiful and blue-tinted as usual, though Chirrut didn't mind. He found it peaceful. It was also the only place where his physical disability held no sway over him, with his eyes functioning just as perfectly as they once had. Minzhe was there as well, carefully preening his wing feathers with his sharp beak. The long-legged sand skimmer finished fixing his feathers and then turned his attention to Chirrut.

“Good morning,” he said, ruffling his wings idly to further settle his feathers.

“Good morning,” Chirrut echoed. “Today's going to be interesting.”

“Oh? What makes you say that?” Minzhe asked curiously.

“I just have a feeling,” Chirrut replied with a small smile. Minzhe hummed thoughtfully at that. Chirrut's 'feelings' didn't happen all that often, but when they did, life usually got that much more interesting for a while afterwards.

“Alright. What do you want to do about it? Where do you want to go?”

“I believe staying here at the Temple would be the best,” Chirrut decided, tipping his head back to soak in the pale sunlight that washed over the clearing in the overgrown jungle that seemed to make up the entirety of the spirit plane. “The next few weeks will be ones of meetings.”

“In that case, we likely shouldn't linger here,” Minzhe said. “There's no telling when those meetings of yours will happen.”

Chirrut reached out and brushed his fingers over his spirit guide's feathers with a smile before he got to his feet. He released his hold on the spirit plane, sighing softly when he opened his eyes and and saw the usual muted gray shadows that were all he'd physically been able to perceive for the past decade or so. With staff in hand, Chirrut got to his feet, the familiar soft scratching of Minzhe's talons as he paced elegantly alongside him comforting to the Guide. The pair of them left the meditation room, Chirrut occasionally reaching out with his free hand to reassure himself that Minzhe was still there.

They reached the large, airy garden that sat in the middle of the main atrium of the Temple with no problems, Chirrut taking a seat on a low padded bench near a calming waterfall that tumbled into an artfully designed containing pond. He crossed his legs on the bench, leaning his staff against the wall in the corner next to him. Minzhe kept watch as Chirrut sank into a light meditative state, letting his empathic 'sight' reach out as he observed the other Sentinels and Guides moving throughout the atrium. Most sentient beings moved through the world in a rainbow wash of colors representing their current emotional states, though both Sentinels and Guides, regardless of species, had a unique tinge of gold or silver to their auras, even those who had not yet come fully into their abilities. Bonded pairs had a strong braid of silver-gold energy linking them, a beautiful chain that connected them no matter how far apart the individuals might be. Spirit Guides showed up in his 'vision' as the same unearthly blue color as the spirit realm, looking appropriately ethereal as they followed their chosen being.

Chirrut was broken out of his meditation by a sudden ripple through the empathic landscape of the Temple. He blinked, focusing on the disturbance as much as he could. Oh. That was... Well. Definitely something to investigate. Chirrut rose to his feet, taking hold of his staff as he did so. His approach to the main desk went surprisingly unnoticed, though given the reason for the disturbance, it was hardly surprising.

A human male roughly Chirrut's age (if not a year or two older) was standing in front of the desk, his shoulder-length hair bound back from his face, though by what, Chirrut couldn't exactly tell. It didn't matter, though. He was sure that they would have plenty of time to get to know one another in due time, if his hunch was correct. The other man had the golden shimmer of a Sentinel to his aura, though he was unbonded. He was currently arguing with an unbonded Guide that Chirrut recognized as Master Guide Plo Koon. Plo's usually calm blue-green aura was shot through with the pale yellow of worry, though he was doing his best to keep that worry under control as they conversed.

Chirrut came to rest a few feet away from the two males, leaning on his staff as he listened to them speak. Plo was doing his job in protecting the Center, as he was part of the security team, but the new, unknown, and heavily armed Sentinel was insistent that he be allowed deeper into the building, as he was tracking something-- or, in a more likely case, some _one_ , if Chirrut's theory was right. He kept quiet, content to merely observe for the time being.

He'd witnessed preliminary bonds settle between a newly-met Sentinel and Guide pair many a time before, but to experience it for himself, to feel the gossamer-thin strands start to twine themselves together, even though he and the Sentinel had yet to introduce themselves (something Chirrut was planning on gently teasing his Sentinel about when he had the chance) was fascinating, to say the least. He focused on the sound of the Sentinel's voice, enjoying the low rumble of his words. It was pleasantly soothing, and he imagined it would be even more so when his own name was spoken in it.

“Look, you have to let me in further,” the Sentinel was saying. “There's... there's a scent. I followed it in here. I need to get inside. Besides, I'm a Sentinel. Shouldn't I be allowed in?”

“Not when you're armed like that,” Plo replied. “At least, not in anywhere besides possibly the infirmary. You've got a rash on your arms and neck that looks like it's hurting pretty badly.”

“I'm fine,” came the reply. “I just need to find--”

“--me,” Chirrut broke in, catching the attention of the two males. He smiled in warm amusement at them as he straightened his posture. “My name is Chirrut Îmwe. I have waited far too long for you, Sentinel. It's about time you showed up. I was starting to worry.”

 


	3. Meetings

Baze had not been having a good day. He'd lost a target he'd been tracking through the warren-like streets of the city, the path getting lost in the confusing mixture of scents in the bustling marketplace. He'd been walking back to his current lodgings when he'd felt the urge to deviate from his path. With a sigh, as the young mercenary doubted he'd be able to find his quarry again so soon, Baze had followed his instincts. He'd ended up wandering the streets near the Sentinel/Guide Temple when he caught wind of a tantalizing scent that sparked something primal deep in his brain. He single-mindedly followed the trail, idly dodging around others as he tracked the scent's path through the streets. The trail ended at the Temple's doors before it was muddled with other scents of the people who had been coming and going from the complex.

Baze absently itched at the rash that had started to form on the backs of his arms and his neck due to the sweat and dirt that had collected there in the course of his hunting as he headed inside, figuring he might as well see if he could find the trail again. He managed to make it to the front desk before he was stopped by a tall Kel Dor Guide who smelled of faintly of sandalwood and the oil used to maintain his protective apparatuses. It wasn't the scent that had drawn Baze in-- that one was a mixture of cardamom, sun-warmed uneti wood, and a hint of bergamot, along with the usual tinges of warm skin and clean sweat –so he ignored it as unimportant for the time being.

“Hello,” the Kel Dor said, giving Baze a small bow. “I am Master Guide Plo Koon. Who are you, friend?”

“Baze. This is the Sentinel/Guide Temple, right?”

“You are correct.” Plo frowned when he saw the rashes on Baze's skin. “Are you alright? You seem to be having a reaction to something.”

“I'm fine. I'm looking for something, but it's deeper inside,” Baze told him.

“I'm afraid I can't let you go deeper into the Temple at the moment,” Plo said.

“Look, you have to let me in further,” Baze insisted. “There's... there's a scent. I followed it in here. I need to get inside. Besides, I'm a Sentinel. Shouldn't I be allowed in?”

“Not when you're armed like that,” Plo replied. “At least, not in anywhere besides possibly the infirmary. You've got that rash on your arms and neck that looks like it's hurting pretty badly.”

“I'm fine,” came the reply. “I just need to find--”

“--me.”

Baze turned to see a man leaning on a staff a few feet away from them, an amused smile on his face. Baze was surprised to see that the man was blind, though he had the distinct scent and feel of a Guide about him. As the Guide straightened up, Baze saw that he was several standard inches shorter than him, though maybe only by four or so if they stood side-by-side.

“My name is Chirrut Îmwe. I have waited far too long for you, Sentinel. It's about time you showed up. I was starting to worry.”

Baze blinked and then took in a deep lungful of air. He let out an involuntary whine when Chirrut's scent flooded his nostrils. “Guide,” he breathed out, ignoring Plo entirely at that point.

“Yes,” Chirrut agreed. “And your name?”

“Baze. Baze Malbus,” Baze replied. “I'm sorry I took so long to find you.”

Chirrut shook his head, that quietly fond smile still on his face. “No need to apologize.” He held out a hand to Baze. “Why don't we go somewhere quiet and start to get to know one another?”

Baze hesitated before taking Chirrut's hand, a small smile curving his lips. “I'd like that.”

“Perhaps a stop by the infirmary first to clear up that rash?” Plo suggested gently.

Chirrut nodded. “Alright, and then somewhere quiet. The indoor gardens are lovely this time of year.”

Baze opened his mouth to say something, paused, and then shook his head when he decided it wasn't worth it. He let Chirrut lead the way to the infirmary, listening to his Guide talk as they went. Chirrut was quite happy to point out places of interest as they went, Baze keeping his mouth shut about wondering how his Guide knew where they were, even though he wanted to ask about it so much. Once they'd visited the infirmary and got Baze's rashes seen to, Chirrut took him to one of the smaller indoor gardens. They settled in on one of the benches, Baze taking his gun and gear off for the time being and setting them nearby so they could be at hand if needed. Not that he thought it would be, but his well-honed survival and protective instincts were hard to ignore, especially now that he'd found his Guide.

“So,” Chirrut began after curling up firmly against Baze's side, “let's start. We can trade off talking about ourselves. Why don't you begin?”

Baze laughed softly and then began to talk, his arm sliding around Chirrut's waist to keep him close. They talked for quite some time, swapping stories of growing up on Jedha. Chirrut had been at the Temple since he was ten, his parents surrendering him to its care at that age when his gifts had manifested themselves, while Baze had grown up on the streets as part of a mercenary gang for as long as he could remember, going his own way when his Sentinel gifts manifested five years prior after he'd been held captive in an isolated cell on a wretched little asteroid used by a rival band of mercenaries as a base of operations.

The two of them agreed to take things slow in regards to their bond, with Baze insisting that he didn't want to rush into things just in case. After all, his line of work was dangerous, though he supposed he would have to give it up now that he'd found Chirrut. Not that he minded; the life of a mercenary was often brutish and short, and Baze had been very lucky to have survived for so long. Being Chirrut's Force-chosen guardian wouldn't be so bad of a change, he figured, and likely infinitely safer and healthier in the long run.

Baze imprinted all of his senses on Chirrut save for taste over the next month, starting to feel like he'd known him for far longer than thirty standard days. They were planning on going for a full sexual bond rather than a deep platonic bond like some Sentinels and Guides who had biological differences. Baze wasn't sure how much longer he'd be able to hold out on not seducing Chirrut to his bed and finishing the bond, but he would do his best out of respect for his Guide.

Baze hadn't bothered to send messages to any of his contacts about his change in life save for those he trusted with it, which amounted to about five beings in the whole of the galaxy. He wasn't about to tell all and sundry that he was vulnerable because of his fledgling bond, especially not when there were far too many people who would try to take advantage of it. When he wasn't with Chirrut, Baze spent his time exploring the Temple with his spirit guide, a wastes wanderer named Jian.

Wastes wanderers were oxen-like beasts that stood about two meters tall, had pale brown fur with horns that curled around themselves in tight shell-like spirals, and had tough third eyelids that protected them against wind-blown sand. They were also consummate survivors, being able to find food even in the cold and harsh deserts of Jedha. Jian moved through the wide Temple hallways surprisingly well, his broad hooves almost silent on the smooth floors.

They were wandering through the Temple halls when Baze heard the sound of muffled crying from a seemingly abandoned corridor. He gave Jian a faintly worried look before the two of them went into search of the sound's source. Curled up in the corner of the corridor's dead end was a small boy dressed in the plain gray robes of an acolyte, the dark green trim at the collar, hem, and sleeve cuffs marking him as a Sentinel. Guides had dark blue trim on their robes, the different colors easy visual identifiers at a glance in a crowd of acolytes.

Baze stopped a few feet away from him, noting the juvenile canyon krayt dragon curled up around the boy. It had the shimmering blue tinge to the edges of its scales that marked it as a spirit guide, and its poison-yellow eyes glared at Baze for daring to intrude. He took a seat across from the boy, resting his back against the wall as he waited. Jian settled in nearby, his large bulk blocking the two humans from sight if anyone passed by the other end of the corridor. Baze was more than willing to wait for the boy to stop crying. Patience was something he was used to needing in his former line of work, especially when he took bounty hunting jobs.

Eventually the crying stopped and the boy uncurled enough to look up at Baze, who gave him an encouraging smile. The boy sniffed, wiped his running nose on his sleeve, and then focused more intently on Baze.

“Who're you?”

“My name is Baze. And you?”

“Anakin,” the boy said. “This is Shiri.”

“A pleasure to meet you both. That big lump is Jian,” Baze told him, eliciting a small giggle from Anakin. “Is everything alright?”

Anakin let out a gusty sigh. “I miss my mom,” he said, “and my Guide.”

Baze's eyebrows rose at that. “You already know who your Guide is, little dragon?”

Anakin gave him a confused look. “Why'd you call me that?”

“Well, your spirit guide is a krayt dragon, and they reflect our souls, so you're a dragon as well,” Baze replied. “Now, where is your mother?”

“Back on Tatooine. She's still a slave.”

“And I'm betting you're going crazy about that,” Baze guessed. Anakin nodded.

“Yeah. I want her to be safe and sound, and she's not, and I can't do anything about it! The Jedi who brought me here weren't able to free her along with me,” he said, stroking his hands over Shiri's scales in a self-soothing manner. “I feel like I'm going crazy. At least I know my Guide's okay. We have a...” Anakin frowned while he tried to remember what the bond was specifically called. “A junior bond?”

“Juvenile,” Shiri corrected gently, her voice soft but raspy. Baze hummed in understanding.

“I see. Well, that's good, at the very least. I--”

He paused, cocking his head when he heard the familiar _tap-_ step-step- _tap_ of his Guide approaching. Chirrut had the uncanny ability to know exactly where he was in the Temple regardless of how far apart they were. Anakin listened as well, his fingers curling against Shiri's scales. Chirrut came round the corner, Minzhe striding alongside him. It only took the work of a few wing flaps before Minzhe was perched on Jian's back, the larger spirit guide letting out a chuff of amusement as he always did at the action.

The sand skimmer cocked his head curiously as he looked down at Anakin, noting the drying tear tracks there. He didn't say anything but instead turned his attention back to Chirrut, who had reached the little group within a few strides and was making his way around Jian.

“Hello!” Chirrut said brightly, shooting a smile in Baze's general direction before turning his attention to Anakin. “And who have you managed to find here?”

“This is Anakin and Shiri,” Baze told him. “We've been having a little talk.”

“Oh? Do I get to know what it's about, or is it just a Sentinel secret?”

“Are you his Guide?” Anakin asked curiously. Chirrut's smile widened.

“I am indeed. I'm quite lucky to have him as my Sentinel. His eyesight's good enough for the both of us, which is a blessing in large crowds.” Chirrut folded himself down into a sitting position next to Baze, setting his staff to lean against the wall. “Now, what have you two been talking about that's got my stalwart Sentinel here so concerned? I could feel it resonating over our bond.”

“I didn't mean to bother you,” Baze said, surprised that their bond had deepened that much so quickly, even if it had been a month.

Chirrut shook his head. “No bother. I wasn't doing anything particularly important anyways.”

“We were talking about my mother,” Anakin said. “She's back on Tatooine.”

“Ah, I see. You're missing part of your pack, then,” Chirrut mused. “Does she know you're here?”

Anakin shrugged before belatedly remembering himself. “She thinks I'm going to be a Jedi. I was gonna be one, but then I became a Sentinel, so I got sent here.” He tugged at a loose thread on his clothes. “I wish she could be here.”

“Well, that's easy enough to solve,” Chirrut told him. Anakin perked up at that.

“Really? But--” His shoulders slumped again. “I don't think Watto would let her go.”

“Watto? Is that your father?”

“What? Ew, no!” Anakin said, face screwing up in disgust. “He's a Toydarian and her owner. She's a slave.”

“Oh. Well, we can't have that,” Chirrut said. Baze gave him a wary look.

“What are you thinking, Chirrut?”

“I think we need to talk with the Council. I'm sure they'd authorize us to go fetch her. After all, young Sentinels and Guides need to be around those they consider pack,” Chirrut replied, “and his mother definitely counts as that. Besides, I don't like slavery.”

“And if they don't authorize us to get her?” Baze asked as Chirrut rose to his feet once more, one hand braced against Jian's furry side to steady himself before he could grab his staff.

“We'll go anyways.”

“That's fool's talk.”

“Maybe, but I'm your fool, and I know you won't let me go anywhere without you, so you'll have to come either way,” Chirrut said with a knowing grin. “Let's go ask and then go from there.”

“I still say this is a fool's errand,” Baze muttered to himself. The hopeful look on Anakin's face was hard to deny, though, so the older Sentinel sighed and then got to his feet. “Come along, little dragon. Let's go make sure he doesn't get into trouble.”

Anakin scrambled to his feet as well. He grabbed hold of Baze's hand as they followed after Chirrut, the smile never fading from his face.

 

~/~

 

This is the image that inspired Baze and Chirrut's spirit guides:

 

 


	4. A Fool's Errand

Tatooine was hot, arid, and much too bright. Chirrut hated it. He put on a pair of protective tinted goggles before he and Baze left the ship, not wanting his eyes-- which were sensitive to overly bright lights, and the two suns of Tatooine definitely counted in that category –to be _entirely_ useless and in pain. They landed at the space port in Mos Espa, parking the small ship that the Council had let them use in one of the more protected bays. It cost more, of course, but they'd been supplied with a goodly amount of credits to entice Watto with and whatever fees and/or bribes that needed to be paid so they could get Shmi. One way or another they'd be leaving with Anakin's mother, even if it meant stealing her away in the night and never returning to Tatooine ever again.

Anakin had given them directions to Watto's junk yard. It was easy enough to find, thankfully, and Watto was in the shop, keeping out of the hot mid-morning sun. He gave the two of them a suspicious look before greeting them.

“Can I help you two?” he asked, setting his hands on the counter he was hovering behind.

Chirrut sent him a winning smile. “Yes. We're in the market for a slave with particular talents, and we were told that you might be able to help us.”

“I'm not a slave broker, friend. There are markets for that in Mos Eisley,” Watto told him.

“Oh. Well, I suppose our contact was wrong.” Chirrut turned to Baze. “I guess we'll have to find someone else to give these twenty thousand credits to, hmm?”

“Looks like it,” Baze replied, his amusement flitting over the incomplete bond they shared even as he kept a straight face. It barely took ten seconds before the glint of greed shimmered in Watto's eyes and they had him.

“Twenty thousand, you say?” he asked, coming around the counter. “Perhaps we can do business. I don't usually deal in credits, but business lately...” He shrugged. “It's been slow, so I'm willing to take them for now. The only slave I have is about forty years old. She's been trained as a house slave, but for twenty thousand... Eh, I can always buy some younger ones to replace her with that after the conversion to coin.”

“If you want to count the credits out, we can wait,” Baze said, crossing his arms over his chest. “While you count, we'd like to see the slave.”

“Sure, why not?” Watto went into his junkyard, where Shmi was trying to organize some of the more disheveled bits of scrap and ship parts. “Hey! Get inside,” he commanded. “There's some people here who want to buy you.”

Shmi sighed, far too used to being bought and sold throughout her life to even bother complaining. She dusted her hands off on a rag and then headed inside, doing her best to conceal the cough that had been plaguing her for quite some time now. It wasn't uncommon on desert planets, especially ones with high winds like Tatooine had, for those without the credits to afford respirators to develop what had been termed as 'dust lung'. It resulted in chest pains and harsh coughing, and the mortality rate was particularly high, especially when organ replacement was not an option.

And for a slave? That was almost never possible, even for those favored by the Hutts or other beings with plenty of credits or coin.

Shmi followed Watto inside, trying not to appear too curious. That was never a good thing, especially around new owners. Perhaps after she got to know them, but not until then. The two human males waiting there were easily half her age, looking to be in their mid-twenties at the very oldest. One was wearing darkly tinted goggles that hid his eyes from view, while his companion looked rather gruff and forbidding, even at his young age.

“So, the credits?” Watto asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Baze drew the small bag of credits out of an inner pocket and tossed it on the counter. It made a satisfying clunking noise when it landed, something that made Watto perk up. He carefully counted each credit out, checking the amount of each one with a reader. Once he was satisfied that he wasn't getting cheated, he got out the deactivator wand that would keep the tracking chip installed in Shmi's body from detonating. Anakin's had been deactivated before he'd left with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, and had then promptly been removed after he'd had an intake physical at the Sentinel/Guide Temple.

“Alright. The deal is done. Her name is Shmi.”

Baze nodded and then led Shmi out of the shop, putting a hand lightly against her back. Chirrut followed alongside them, his staff marking their progress. Once they were safely away from Tatooine and in the confines of hyperspace, Chirrut took his goggles off and tossed them in a drawer that Baze opened for him. Shmi sat quietly in a seat, watching the two of them interact. Baze was checking over Chirrut's face with gentle hands, making sure the suns hadn't affected him even with the goggles on.

“I'm fine, you big worrywart,” Chirrut said with a fond laugh.

“Hush, and let me do my job,” Baze retorted, his thumbs running lightly over the thin skin just under Chirrut's eyes. “Any pain?”

“None. Those goggles did the trick.” He tilted his head towards Shmi. “We should probably introduce ourselves.”

Baze hummed quietly at that and stepped away, but not before brushing a soft kiss over Chirrut's forehead. It wasn't enough to entirely imprint his sense of taste and force the two of them into a full bonding drive, but it was a good enough stop-gap measure that appealed to his more instinctual side. He turned to Shmi and gave her a small smile.

“Hello. My name is Baze, and this is Chirrut. We're from the Sentinel/Guide Temple on Jedha,” he told her. “We were sent to retrieve you by our ruling Council.”

“Why?” Shmi asked. “I'm just a slave.”

“You're also the mother of one of our young Sentinels,” Chirrut told her. Shmi covered her mouth with a hand.

“Anakin's a Sentinel? I suspected he might be, but I told him to hide it so he wouldn't be seen as more valuable than he already was. I didn't want him to be abused for it.”

“He's safe and sound,” Chirrut assured her. “He's actually already met his Guide-- the young woman who visited you here with the Jedi who found Anakin.”

“Oh. The one Anakin called an angel?” Shmi asked with a small smile as she lowered her hand. Chirrut nodded.

“Yes. Her name is Padmé. They have a juvenile bond which will grow and mature as they do,” he said. “Anakin has been doing well in his training, but he's missed you, and unlike our Jedi brethren, Sentinels and Guides encourage personal and intimate attachments, as they aid us in our protection of the tribe, and in turn, the galaxy.”

“Thus the rescue mission,” Baze added. “You're free. You won't be a slave ever again, and neither will Anakin.”

Shmi couldn't stop the tears that started streaming down her face, nor the coughing fit that accompanied them. Baze got her a cup of water for her to drink once the coughing subsided, which she took with a grateful smile. Shmi sipped at the water, sighing in relief at the cool liquid running down her throat.

“Thank you,” she said, wiping away the tears on her cheeks. “To know that Anakin's safe... It's a blessing I wasn't expecting.”

“You're more than welcome,” Chirrut said. “How long has that cough been happening?”

“Almost all my life, but more intensely these past few months. The sand storms have been particularly bad.”

“Hm. We'll have to see what we can do about that,” Chirrut mused. “Lungs are easy enough to make via cloning and then replace. Eyes, unfortunately, are mostly too delicate, or else I would have asked for it myself.”

Shmi blinked. “You...” She sat back, stunned. “Organ replacement is expensive, and you've already spent far too much money on me as it is.”

“You're worth it,” Baze assured her. “We'll have to see what the Council says, of course, but I doubt they'd turn you down.”

“Right. Thank you.”

“Of course. Now, you're welcome to rest for a little while if you like,” Baze said. “It'll take two hours according to our pilot, so you'll have the time for a nap.”

“I don't remember the last time I took a nap so early in the day,” Shmi said with a shaky laugh as she got to her feet. Baze led her to one of the small cabins that had a narrow bed in it and a 'fresher in a small alcove in one corner. Shmi thanked him before shutting the door behind her. Baze returned to the passenger section where Chirrut was still sitting on one of the small two-person seats.

Chirrut unerringly turned his face towards his Sentinel like a flower towards its sun as he approached the couch, a warm smile curving his mouth. “I believe Anakin will be overjoyed to see his mother safe and sound,” he said as Baze sat next to him. “I sent a quick message to the Council telling them that everything had gone well and of Shmi's affliction. They said that they will have to think on it, but I doubt they'd deny her treatment given their willingness to spend so many credits on her already.”

“Perhaps. We'll have to see.” Baze gathered Chirrut close to him, burying his nose in his Guide's short hair. “Once we get Shmi settled at the Temple, I want to finalize our bond,” he murmured. “If you're alright with that.”

Chirrut laughed. “I was wondering when you'd ask. I would be more than fine with that.”

“Just you and me in a bonding chamber for two days,” Baze said, a pleased rumble leaving him at the idea. Chirrut nodded, his hair tickling Baze's nose as he moved.

“It'll be wonderful. So, do you still think this was a fool's errand?”

“A little, but I'm glad we did it.” Baze shook his head. “I'll never understand the Jedi and their 'no personal attachments' rule. It seems far too cold.”

“It's how they believe they'll rise above the temptations of the dark side,” Chirrut said. He took hold of Baze's hand and then kissed its palm. “Sentinels and Guides don't have to worry about it as much due to our strong connections to one another and the tribe. Jedi hold themselves apart, or try to, though that doesn't mean they don't care.”

“I suppose. I'm just glad I have you to anchor me.”

“And I you. It's a pity neither of us use lightsabers.”

“Give me a reliable gun any day,” Baze said. “They're far quicker and you don't have to get as close, especially with a sniper rifle or bowcaster.”

“True. Still, the way they move through the Force...” Chirrut hummed in admiration. “It's very elegant.”

“If you say so.”

-/-

The matching expressions of pure joy and exuberance on the two Skywalkers' faces when they were reunited were worth every credit that the rescue had cost. Shmi was hugging Anakin tightly in the middle of the Temple's atrium as Baze watched, Chirrut leaning lazily against him. According to Anakin, it was the best present he could have gotten on his birthday, something he'd announced quite loudly before flinging himself at his mother.

“They feel happy,” Chirrut murmured. “It's good.”

“Yeah, it is,” Baze agreed quietly, sliding his hand into his Guide's and then squeezing gently. “Master Plo is going to get Shmi evaluated at the medical center and then settled. Are you still up for finalizing our bond?”

“Of course.” Chirrut squeezed back. “If Master Plo is going to taking care of them, then I think we can make our escape.”

Baze smiled to himself and then led Chirrut to the nearest available bonding chamber, intent on binding their souls together through the Force for all of eternity and beyond.

 


	5. A Prelude to War

~Ten years later~  


Anakin was all but vibrating as the ship dropped out of hyperspace near Coruscant, unable to keep the broad grin off his face. He was _finally_ going to see Padmé in person after so long. They'd kept in touch over the years by holo-calls and long conversations over their comlinks when their schedules synced up enough to make them, but they hadn't seen one another in person after the infirmary on Naboo. Padmé had finished her surprising two terms as Queen of Naboo and was now a senator, one of the youngest in the Senate so far. Anakin was ridiculously proud of her, and made sure to tell her that often, almost as often as the fact that he loved and missed her.

A hand landed on his shoulder, making the young Sentinel turn away from the window he'd been looking at the nearby planet from. Anakin's smile softened slightly when he saw the familiar face of one of his favorite people in the galaxy (besides his mother and Padmé, of course). Ten years away from the harsh life of a mercenary and a solid bond with his Guide had been nothing but kind to Baze. He still carried weapons with him wherever he went, naturally, but he only broke out the large guns when absolutely necessary nowadays.

“I haven't seen you this excited since you finally built your 'saber,” Baze told him, squeezing his shoulder before letting his hand drop away. “If I didn't know better, I'd say you're even more excited.”

“It's _Padm_ _é_ ,” Anakin retorted. “You can't tell me you wouldn't be the same way if you were in my shoes and hadn't seen Papa Chir' in person for ten years.”

Baze laughed. “I doubt I would've waited as long as you, little dragon, nor as patiently,” he said with a fond smile. It hadn't taken Anakin very long to adopt Baze and Chirrut as his surrogate fathers, going so far as to call them Papa Baze and Papa Chir' respectively. It often confused those who didn't know their backgrounds, especially with the odd age gaps between the two men and the Skywalkers, but none of them cared. Shmi was happy to share parenting duties, Baze and Chirrut absolutely loved being such integral parts of Anakin's life, and Anakin thrived having such a close-knit personal pack to support him throughout his childhood.

Anakin had turned out to be a well-adjusted, albeit slightly impulsive, young man. His tendency to act first and then think later had been tempered greatly over the years, both by his family and by his mentor, Master Sentinel Aayla Secura. Master Secura was a liaison between the Jedi and the Sentinel/Guide Temples, and had a seemingly infinite well of patience, both with those she mentored and the often annoyingly traditionalist, isolationist, and stoic Jedi. She also had a dry sense of humor that was much appreciated in the increasingly perilous times they were living in.

The not-so-muted whispers of widespread war in the galaxy had increased over the past ten years, even after the failed invasion of Naboo. The Separatist movement, led by the former Jedi, Count Dooku, was slowly but surely gaining traction. Dooku had left the Jedi Order a decade ago, wanting more power than that august organization could give him. The Sentinel/Guide Council was keeping a close eye on Dooku, though they had been unable to get any Sentinel or Guide close to him after he'd left the Jedi Order. Dooku had mainly kept to himself for most of the past decade, raising power and influence where he could to further his goals.

Padmé was meeting with some of the other senators-- and Anakin's pride for her extended to the point where he was sure he'd annoyed most, if not all of the people at the Temple on Jedha by talking about it to anyone who'd listen even for a minute –to discuss the possibility of voting against creating a galactic army to combat Dooku's own ever-growing force of droids. Droids were easy to manufacture in the thousands and even easier to continue to send out to various planets and sectors in order to ensure compliance, even by those who considered themselves Dooku's allies. Padmé had the hope that they could manufacture their own droids to fight against Dooku's, thus ensuring little to no sentient lives were lost in the war.

Baze, Anakin, and Chirrut had timed it so that they would arrive a half hour before Padmé and her retinue, with the intention to meet them when they landed. The three of them had just reached the walkway leading to the landing pads where Padmé's ship and its fighter escort had alighted when a massive explosion rocked the general area, leaving everyone with ringing ears and coughs from the inhaled smoke.

“ _Padm_ _é_!” Anakin screamed when the smoke cleared and he saw several bodies laying on the ground. He went to run towards the ships, but Baze caught hold of him, holding him back.

“Let me go!”

“No!” Chirrut said sharply. “You are one with the Force, and the Force is with you. Is your bond with Padmé gone? Focus, Anakin! Don't let your senses fool you.” He stepped forward and pressed his forehead against Anakin's after pulling his head down with his free hand, his other being occupied with his ever-present staff. “Ground yourself on me and then concentrate on your bond.”

Anakin took in a shuddering breath, trying to block out all but Chirrut's familiar scent, and then focused on his bond with Padmé. The tension in his body slowly left when he realized that his bond was still there. “She's alive,” he said softly, his relief evident in his voice as Chirrut stepped back.

“Yes. Look.” Baze let Anakin go and then pointed towards the ship, where Padmé was kneeling next to the dying form of one of her handmaidens-- Cordé, from what the senator was saying –who had been acting as a decoy for her. Anakin watched Captain Typho, Padmé's head of security, draw her away after Cordé died from her injuries.

“I can't tell if anyone else is here,” Baze murmured to Chirrut as Anakin hurried forward to meet with Padmé and Typho. Chirrut hummed softly in agreement.

“The Force is murky here,” he replied. “There is a lingering dark presence here, but it's difficult to figure out where it is considering how many beings are living on the planet. That, and the Jedi Temple skews things strangely.”

“Does it? How?”

“It's an odd tangle of the Light and Dark sides,” Chirrut said as Typho, Padmé, and Anakin hurried over to join them. “It pulls and warps at the fabric of the Force here, making it hard to get a clear view of things.”

“Something to keep an eye on,” Baze said before nodding at the others in greeting. “Let's get inside. There might be further traps or enemies.”

“A good idea,” Typho agreed. “We'll alert the security forces from there, if they haven't already sounded the alarm.”

“And the...” Padmé sighed. “Those who died in the explosion?”

“Will be taken care of with all due respects, my lady,” Typho said gently. They headed inside, only halting when several security teams went rushing past to see what had caused the explosion. One team stopped to get their witness reports and make sure no one was injured.

Anakin insisted that Padmé and Typho go to the infirmary to make sure that they were alright. Baze and Chirrut were worried for the health of the two Naboo natives as well, but they hid it better than Anakin, whose worry was writ broad across his face. The young Sentinel stayed by his Guide all throughout the exam by the medical droids, only calming down entirely when Padmé and Typho were declared healthy, albeit shaken up and with very minor smoke inhalation. The latter was solved with a aerosolized form of bacta gel that healed the small amount of irritation within minutes.

A quick stop at the apartment that had been given to Padmé for her use when she was on Coruscant saw the young senator changing from a pilot's jumpsuit to one of her simpler yet still elaborate gowns that she kept there. The men stayed out in the living area as they waited for her to return, talking quietly amongst themselves. Anakin was discussing the choices of bonding locations (he wanted the Sentinel/Guide Temple on Jedha, but Padmé was all for going through with it there at the Temple on Coruscant once the senatorial meeting was over) with Baze and Chirrut when Padmé emerged from her bedroom.

He paused when he saw the dark purple gown she was wearing, the glint of the golden collar-like necklace at her throat drawing his eyes. The gown looked deceptively heavy, but Anakin knew that Padmé's formal wardrobe was specially tailored to enable quick changes and to accommodate most environments that might be found on inhabited planets throughout the galaxy. The dress likely had hidden pockets and slits in the skirts, cleverly disguised by the folds that allowed her to carry things discreetly as well as have access to the small and sleek thigh-holstered blaster that had been Baze's gift to her on her eighteenth birthday.

Chirrut had gifted her with sharp-ended hair sticks made of uneti wood that were coated in a specific type of paralytic chemical that activated when in direct contact with most types of blood, but were otherwise safe to handle. Anakin hadn't been sure how he felt about the fact that his Guide had been given weapons for gifts, but mostly he had been honored that his surrogate fathers wanted to protect her just as much as he did, so he'd held his tongue.

“You look wonderful,” Anakin told her, earning a pleased smile for his compliment.

“Thank you,” Padmé replied. “One of the other senators called me on my com-link to tell me where we'll be meeting up. There's a small antechamber near the Supreme Chancellor's office where they will be waiting for us.” She paused, a frown marring her usually happy face.

“Is something wrong?” Chirrut asked, cocking his head curiously. “You feel... conflicted, Padmé.”

“It's the Supreme Chancellor,” she said after a long moment of silence. “I haven't spent much time around him recently, as I've been mainly staying on Naboo save for the few Senate sessions I've attended since my appointment, but even so, I've noticed that he feels... off.”

“How so?” Baze asked.

Padmé shook her head. “I'm not sure. I haven't done a full empathic scan on him, as I'm not about to violate his rights like that, but his aura has...” She blew out a sharp breath of annoyance. “I don't know. Darkened? Twisted? It's definitely not the same as it was when I was queen, that's for sure.”

“Hm. We'll have to keep an eye on him, then,” Chirrut said with a hum as he got to his feet, fingers flexing around his staff. He chuckled to himself. “Well, you will, anyways. Baze will have to do double duty for me, as usual.”

Baze rolled his eyes. “That will never get old with you, will it?”

Chirrut grinned. “Of course not. Shall we?”

“Yes, you fool,” Baze said fondly as they left the room. “Remind me why I keep you around?”

“Because you love me,” Chirrut replied, falling into step next to him. “That's why.”

“And I suppose having your help with my senses is useful as well,” Baze said, resting a hand at the small of Chirrut's back to keep in contact with him.

“There is that,” Chirrut agreed. They kept chatting back and forth until they reached the antechamber where the other senators were waiting. Padmé was immediately surrounded by her fellow politicians, all chattering and reaching out to touch her and make sure she was okay. Anakin had to bite back the growls that wanted to escape him. He knew they meant well, but that didn't mean he was particularly pleased with other people touching his Guide.

“I'm fine, really, I am,” Padmé insisted, giving them a pleased smile. “Let's go meet up with the Supreme Chancellor. We need to make sure we can fight against Count Dooku and his plans with a minimum loss of life.”

The other senators agreed and then headed out, the non-politicians following along behind them by a few paces. The group reached the Supreme Chancellor's office a few minutes later, with the senators entering first. The presence of several Jedi Masters and one Padawan was surprising, but was was far more surprising were Baze and Anakin's reactions to Chancellor Palpatine as he approached the group. Both Sentinels scented the air and then moved in front of their Guides, low growls rumbling deep in their chests. Anakin had his hand on his lightsaber and Baze his pistol, reacting to a threat no one else seemed to perceive.

“Baze? Anakin?” Chirrut asked gently as he poked his head around his Sentinel's side. “What's going-- oh. Well. That's... worrying.”

What Anakin had termed as his 'Guide sight' was showing Palpatine as a writhing mass of darkness thinly veiled in a sheen of light. It seemed enough to keep the Jedi off the track, if the confusion Chirrut could sense coming from them was any indication.

“Is everything alright, Master Sentinels?” Master Luminara Unduli asked solicitously. Chirrut placed a light hand on Baze's arm, sending a wave of calming emotions through their bond before shooting a warm smile in the direction of the Jedi.

“We're all still a little on edge from the explosion,” he said. “Please excuse them, honored Jedi. Perhaps we could meet while the senators and the Chancellor are speaking with one another? There is much to discuss about our own parts in this conflict, after all.”

“A good idea, that is,” Master Yoda agreed as he got out of his chair, the other seated Jedi following his example. “We will talk. Come. Senator Amidala, happy to see you alive, we are.”

“Thank you, Master Yoda,” Padmé replied, giving the Jedi Grand Master a smile and a small bow of her head. “Whoever was behind this will face justice soon, I'm sure of it. The security teams are investigating the matter as we speak, as well as caring for those who died in the attack.”

“You have our condolences,” Master Unduli said as the Jedi followed Yoda out of the room. Padmé just smiled sadly at that, squeezing Anakin's hand a little before they parted ways. Anakin kept his senses trained on her for as long as he could before the door closed and blocked the physical connection between them. Once the mixed group of Jedi, Sentinels, and the lone Guide made it to an open meeting room, they settled in around the large table there.

Baze produced a small circular silver device from an inner pocket of the long brown coat he'd adopted over the years rather than the armor he'd worn as a mercenary and set it in the middle of the table. One tap of a finger later and a faintly shimmering blue field emerged, creating a dome that enveloped the entirety of the table and a few feet beyond.

“What's that?” Master Windu asked sharply, eyeing the dome-shaped field warily.

“A privacy field,” Baze replied as he settled back in his chair next to Chirrut. “It protects against both biological and mechanical eavesdropping.”

“And our conversation requires so much security?”

Baze focused on the Padawan who had asked the question. “Yes,” he said simply. “It concerns the Chancellor, after all.”

“Yes. Your reactions to him were... visceral,” Master Ki-Adi-Mundi noted.

“And for good reason,” Anakin said with a faint snarl that curled his upper lip. “He reeks of death and decay.”

“His psionic aura is a mass of darkness that's barely contained by a thin layer of light. I don't know how much longer that layer will last,” Chirrut added. “It's one of the most corrupt auras I've ever encountered. Were he a known Force user, I would call him a burgeoning Sith, if not a fully fledged one that is somehow hiding from your detection.”

The Jedi seemed rather taken aback by that, exchanging surprised and worried looks.

“Troubling, this is,” Yoda said gravely. “Keep an eye on him, we will, and Count Dooku as well.”

“Yes, Dooku's still a significant threat,” Baze agreed.

“Hm.” Anakin leaned back in his chair, running a hand thoughtfully through his hair. “His main threats are his continually growing droid army and the sway he has over the Separatist planets, right? What if we took out one of those without having to worry about fighting?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Anakin said in response to Master Unduli's question, “we can wipe the droids' memories. It happens all the time when droids change hands. Or just create a program that will make them ineffective. Of course, that would only matter to the droids that are currently out in the systems at the moment; any new ones would have to be dealt with as they come. If we have several different viruses and programs at the ready, we can release them as needed until Dooku becomes either so strapped for credits that he can't manufacture any more or decides to change tactics. It would be easier than raising an army of our own, and hopefully save lives in the process. As a Sentinel, I don't like threats to the tribe and will do anything to remove them, but I also don't like unnecessary violence. I've seen enough of that in my life as it is.”

“That would just leave Dooku's influence, and with a failing army, it might be easier for those he's oppressing to fight back,” Master Windu mused thoughtfully. “We know that the droids have to communicate with one another over an internal network in order to carry out orders and attacks. If we managed to capture one, implant the virus or viruses on a time delay to be released over the internal network, and then wipe its memory of ever encountering us before sending it back out to the field, we might just be able to buy some time to figure out where Dooku is manufacturing the droids and cripple his operations that way as well.”

“It's going to be tricky,” Ki-Adi-Mundi said as he rested his folded hands on the table before him in a contemplative manner, “but potentially possible.”

“I believe we'll have to work together-- Jedi alongside Sentinels and Guides,” Chirrut said, absently taking hold of Baze's hand as he spoke. “I know we've kept our two factions separate for years, but for this? When it deals with the entire galaxy and the fates of billions? We've all been touched by the Force. We are brothers and sisters in it, and we need to protect those who look to us for help and guardianship.”

“Agreed,” Yoda chimed in. “Work together, we will. The fate of the galaxy depends on it.”

 


	6. Discoveries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All recognizable dialogue from "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones" is (C) Lucasfilm/Disney. No copyright infringement is meant, etc, etc.

Anakin and Padmé bonded at the Sentinel/Guide Temple there on Coruscant, spending two days secluded in a bonding chamber as they made and finalized the full and mature bond that replaced the juvenile bond they'd had for ten years. The Temple was shielded from outside influences by a complex system of force fields and barriers that filtered out the miasma of scents, sights, and sounds of the planet-wide city, using a specially-tinted barrier to allow sunshine in without it being too bright for the Sentinels taking shelter at the Temple complex. It was also shielded from outside psionic influences as well, providing relief for Guides in turn. Traditionally, only Sentinels and Guides were allowed inside the main grounds, though occasionally special guests were brought in to an outer building that was kept separate from the rest of the Temple.

The newly bonded pair were met by Chirrut and Baze in the lobby of the Temple, the older pair giving their congratulations as the four of them met up. Chirrut smiled at the strong bond that linked Anakin and Padmé, the brilliant gold and silver braid glimmering strong and vibrant in his Force-given Guide sight.

“Congratulations,” Baze told them. Padmé smiled warmly at that.

“Thank you,” she said, Anakin echoing her comment shortly after. “We've been waiting for this for quite some time.”

“And you've done very well,” Chirrut said. “Now that you're bonded, what do you plan to do?”

“Work with the Jedi in regards to the issue with the Chancellor,” Anakin said immediately. Padmé nodded in agreement.

“Definitely. If he's truly that far gone, then he doesn't need any more power, and I suspect that he's trying to position himself to be indispensable to the Senate and the galaxy in general in order to gain that,” she said as they headed out the elegantly arching front gates of the Temple. Chirrut cocked his head briefly before quickly pulling Padmé to one side. A slender silver dart sank into the pseudo-wood post of the gate, hitting right where Padmé would have been had Chirrut not moved her aside. Baze and Anakin immediately went on high alert, with the two Sentinels drawing their weapons in response to the unknown assailant.

The crowds of people on the nearby walkways made it all but impossible to spot the perpetrator, and any smart assassin would've moved away right after shooting the dart, so it wasn't likely that they'd be able to find out who had tried to kill Padmé yet again. It was clear that Coruscant wasn't safe for her any more, especially since whoever it was that was trying to kill her didn't care that she was a Guide, particularly one that was doubly protected by intragalactic law because of that status and her senatorial role.

“Everyone alright?” Padmé asked after a few moments.

“Fine. You?” Anakin replied, relaxing slowly as nothing else happened.

“I'm alright. What was it that was shot at me?”

“A saberdart,” Baze said after locating the dart. He carefully pulled it out of the post, examining it closely. “They're used mainly by bounty hunters and assassins. Looks to be of Kaminoan make.”

“Kamino? Don't they do cloning there?” Anakin asked. Chirrut nodded.

“Yes. Our Council has contracted with them before for organ replacements. They were the ones who helped with your mother's lungs,” he said. “I believe we'll need to bring this with us to our meeting with the Jedi and Sentinel/Guide Councils. If the Kaminoans are truly involved with all of this, we may have a bigger problem than we thought.”

“Why's that?”

“Because it could mean that Dooku is upgrading from droids to clones,” Chirrut said grimly in reply to Padmé's question, “and that does not bode well for anyone involved.”

-/-

The joint Councils decided that representatives from both their orders would go to Kamino. Baze and Chirrut volunteered to go almost immediately when offered the chance. As much as Anakin wanted to go along with them, his instincts were on overdrive with the dual attacks on his Guide, so the two of them retreated to Jedha and the Temple there to keep Padmé safe from any further assassination attempts. It was also a chance for her to finally meet Shmi in person, as they'd only met one another through holo-calls over the years. She left a senior representative in her place in the Senate-- a young woman by the name of Sebra Kirsch who had been the top of her class at the Naboo Political Academy-- as well as Jar Jar Binks as her junior representative, though they didn't have any power to vote or make any major decisions without contacting her.

As for the Jedi representative, it was decided that the newly knighted Obi-Wan Kenobi would accompany the bonded pair to Kamino, as his former master had recently taken on a new Padawan learner and was unable to go himself. They left Coruscant late the same evening that Anakin and Padmé left to go to Jedha, taking one medium-sized ship. They had the exact coordinates from the Sentinel-Guide Council, which had them arriving at the storm-torn planet several hours later.

Obi-Wan deftly landed the ship on one of the platforms on Tipoca City, fighting against the winds that threatened to buffet the ship back and forth. The rain immediately soaked the three men through, even with the water-resistant chemicals their cloaks had been treated with. They fought their way to the nearest tower, all three breathing a sigh of relief when a door slid open at their approach, a blaze of white light spilling out and cutting through the rain.

“Welcome to Tipoca City, Master Jedi,” came a voice from ahead of them. A few moments later and they were properly inside, standing face-to-face with one of the ethereally pale and tall Kaminoans.

“Everything is ready,” she continued on. “The Prime Minister is expecting you.”

“We're expected?” Obi-Wan asked, surprised.

“Of course,” the Kaminoan replied. “After all these years, we were beginning to think you weren't coming. Now, please, this way.”

She led them through the stark white halls, not seeming to mind the fact that they were dripping on the floors as they went. Baze had to dial his sight back so he didn't zone on the bright surfaces, using his bond with Chirrut to keep his senses balanced. They were taken to another chamber where a male Kaminoan dressed almost entirely in black was awaiting them.

Their escort gestured elegantly at the male as he rose to his feet. “May I present Lama Su, the Prime Minister of Kamino. And these are Master Jedi...”

“I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, and these are my associates, Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus,” Obi-Wan said, giving Lama Su a respectful bow. Chirrut and Baze did the same, straightening up as the Prime Minister began to speak.

“I trust you will enjoy your stay.” Lama Su gestured to where several pod-like chairs had descended from the ceiling. “Please.” He waited until they were all settled before speaking again. “And now, to business. You will be delighted to know that we are on schedule. Two hundred thousand units are ready, with a million more well on the way.”

“That's very good,” Chirrut said with an approving nod. “Thank you.”

“Of course. Please tell your Master Sifo-Diyas that his order will be met on time,” Lama Su continued on.

“I'm s-sorry, Master-?” Obi-Wan asked, startled.

“Jedi Master Sifo-Diyas is still a leading member of the Jedi Council, is he not?”

“Master Sifo-Diyas was killed almost ten years ago,” Obi-Wan replied, doing his best to keep his voice calm.

“Oh,” Lama Su said apologetically. “I'm so sorry to hear that, but I'm sure he would've been proud of the army we've built for him.”

“The army?” Baze echoed, exchanging worried glances with Obi-Wan.

“Yes, a clone army, and I must say, one of the finest we've ever created,” Lama Su told them.

“I see. And who did he say the army was for, out of curiosity?” Chirrut asked.

“The Republic, of course,” Lama Su said, “but you must be anxious to inspect the units for yourself.” He rose to his feet, the others doing the same before following him and his assistant out of the room. As they moved through the complex, the Prime Minister continued to tell them about the clones.

“They have been genetically altered to be more submissive and follow orders, though there have been some... anomalies in some that we have not been able to explain,” he said.

“Oh? How so?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Perhaps about 0.25 percent of the mature clones have developed psionic abilities that we have previously only seen in Sentinels and Guides,” Lama Su replied. “We have run tests on them, and nothing in their genetic profiles explain it, especially as the donor of the genetic material is not a Sentinel or Guide himself. If you do not want those five hundred clones as part of the army, we can eliminate them free of charge.”

“No, no, there's no need to do that,” Obi-Wan said quickly, briefly glancing over at Baze and Chirrut. “They'll only add to the army's value.”

“As you wish,” Lama Su said.

“You mentioned the donor. Is he still here?” Baze asked.

“Yes. His name is Jango Fett,” Lama Su replied, not seeming to notice how Baze stiffened at the name. “A bounty hunter. In addition to his payment, which is substantial, he also asked for an unaltered clone when he began his work here. No accelerated aging, no behavioral modifications. We find it quite odd, but that was what he wanted.”

They stopped on a small balcony that overlooked the clones massed down below in orderly ranks. Chirrut looked out over the clones, noting the shimmers of gold and silver psionic auras scattered throughout the rows and columns.

“Magnificent, aren't they?” Lama Su asked, setting his hands on the railing.

“Quite,” Obi-Wan said. “Thank you for showing us the army. We'll send ships to pick them up in due time.”

“Of course. We look forward to hearing how they perform for you,” Lama Su replied.

“Prime Minister, a question for you,” Chirrut said, a thoughtful tone in his voice.

“Go ahead, Master Jedi.”

“You mentioned that Jango Fett is still being paid. Who has been funding those payments since Master Sifo-Diyas was killed? Just so we can let our Council know that the credits are being well spent and the proper thanks be given,” Chirrut said casually.

“Ah. We only know him as Tyranus,” Lama Su said. “He has only communicated to us through messengers and heavily encrypted com-link messages.”

“I see. Thank you. That information is quite helpful. Our Council will be pleased to hear it.”

Lama Su inclined his head in acknowledgment. “You are more than welcome. Is there anything else you wish to see?”

“Allow us a moment to discuss it, please?” Obi-Wan requested. Lama Su nodded and then stepped away to allow them some semblance of privacy. Obi-Wan turned towards the clones once more, resting his hands on the railing. Baze and Chirrut stood on either side of him, looking for all the world as if they were inspecting the troops down below once more.

“So. Tyranus. That's not a name I've heard before,” Obi-Wan murmured.

“Neither have we,” Baze said just as quietly. “What worries me at the moment is the presence of Jango Fett. He's well known for being one of the more ruthless bounty hunters. I don't think it would be wise if we announced our presence here. He might tell whoever this Tyranus is about it, and I don't think it's something we can afford to happen.”

“Agreed. Do you think Tyranus is connected to Dooku?” Chirrut asked softly. “It does seem like a name a Sith would favor, and if our suspicions about the Chancellor are correct, then it may be an associate of his.”

“Or an apprentice,” Obi-Wan mused. “They follow something called the Rule of Two-- one master, one apprentice. If the Sith that was killed on Naboo ten years ago was an apprentice, then it's possible that his master has recruited a new one since his death.”

“And if Dooku is Tyranus, then it's possible that he's a Sith,” Baze said. He frowned as he looked down at the clones. “If I were a Sith and had access to an army like this...” He trailed off, brow furrowed.

“What're you thinking, Baze?” Chirrut prompted. “Follow that thought through to the end.”

“Well, I'd make sure it couldn't be used against me,” Baze said, “or that I could use it against my enemies without them knowing I could. If we do use this army, we'll need to be very careful how we do so.”

“You think they're booby-trapped?” Obi-Wan asked.

“I think that they've been out of Jedi control for almost a decade,” Baze said finally, “and that's been more than enough time to meddle with them.”

“The Councils will have to be made aware of that,” Obi-Wan said, pushing back from the railing. “Let's go before we arouse any suspicions.”

“Agreed.” Baze stepped back as well and then placed a hand on Chirrut's shoulder. “Back out into the rain, then?”

“Yes, unfortunately,” Chirrut said dryly, turning away from the clones. “Let's go.”

They left the cloning facility with the promise of sending troop ships to pick up the clones within the next few galactic days, getting back into their ship with Jango Fett hopefully none the wiser for their presence there. As almost an afterthought, Baze placed a discreet tracker on Jango's ship in hopes that they might be able to use the bounty hunter to track Dooku down.

When they returned to Coruscant, they met with the Jedi Council with all the information they'd discovered and their suspicions in regards to Dooku and the clones. The Sentinel/Guide Council were brought in as well via a heavily encrypted holo-call, with Master Sentinel Aayla Secura acting in her role as liaison between the two Councils and being the lead spokesperson for the Sentinels and Guides.

“So,” she said, folding her hands in her lap, “what do you think we should do with the clones if Sentinel Malbus' suspicions are true? After all, the Sith have been known to lay traps, and I wouldn't put it past them to have put something in place to use against the Jedi for future use. I also highly doubt that whatever said trap might be would be particularly obvious.”

“Which means we'll have to keep a wary eye on the clones,” Master Windu said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “It'd be impossible to vet all of them, not to mention that we have no idea what might trigger a trap, if there is one.”

“That begs the question of if we even should use them,” Master Ki-Adi-Mundi said. “If we can't trust them now, why would be able to trust them on the battlefield?”

“Have any other choice, do we?” Yoda asked. “Not enough of us there are to fight a war, even combined.”

“I suppose not,” Plo Koon replied, leaning forward a little, his forearms braced on his thighs. “The thing is, not many people realize that the Jedi and the Sentinels and Guides are connected. It might be possible that the Sith have only done something against the former and not the latter. Perhaps the best way to do this would be, if the plan to sabotage the droids doesn't work, to use a mixture of our two Orders in each battle group-- one Jedi and an unbonded Sentinel or Guide, or a bonded pair. The fact that there are Sentinels and Guides amongst the clones also presents an intriguing issue. The living Force chooses those beings to gift with our abilities. I would hesitate to say that it would protect them against any trap that the Sith might have set, but it is possible. We must also consider the fact that they have not been trained to use their abilities, and therefore will need at least the basics that we teach our newest initiates explained to them, which could take them away from the fray for some time.”

“We'll let you deal with them,” Master Windu said with an idle wave of his hand. “They're your people, after all, even if they are clones. You can take them to Jedha, train them at your Temple here, or both. It's up to you.”

The conversation continued on for quite some time after that, until the two Councils were sure they'd exhausted all the avenues of thought they could in regards to the clones and how to deal with them. The conversation was nearly over when a messenger came into both Council rooms, each bearing the same message:

_Fett has moved from Kamino. Have tracked him to Geonosis. Will report more when we have it. -Baze and Chirrut_

The two Councils decided to act almost right away, the Jedi Council sending troop ships to go pick up the clones that were ready to go while the Sentinel/Guide Council sent two four-being teams to head to Geonosis to act as backup for Baze and Chirrut just in case. The two men were some of the best fighters in the Order, but it never hurt to have help on hand when dealing with beings as potentially dangerous as Dooku and his separatist allies.

Once that was taken care of, the Councils disbanded, heading out to organize the logistics of feeding, housing and supplying a sudden influx of two hundred thousand troops between their two Orders. While the clones had been supplied some armor and other gear by the Kaminoans, they would still need food, housing when not shipboard, and other essentials, just like any other army. It would be a bit of a logistical nightmare to deal with all them right away, but for the time being, the standard food capsules both Orders used while in the field would have to do until more supplies could be laid in, and thankfully there were enough ships to hold more than the two hundred thousand clones waiting on Kamino.

All that could be hoped for was that their efforts would be enough to fight against the threat Dooku and his allies posed. Otherwise, the galaxy would tear itself apart.

-/-

Baze and Chirrut had located Jango's ship on Geonosis easily thanks to the tracker on it, with Baze hiding their own ship behind a large rocky mound. They'd been made aware of the backup teams that were on their way; said teams would be hiding on one of the many floating asteroid-like bodies that made up the rings around the planet until needed. A group of well-dressed beings entering a nearby building caught Baze's attention. He and Chirrut made it to a sheltered spot where the natural acoustics of the stone walls worked in their favor to allow Baze to sink into a meditative state and extend his sense of hearing to listen in on the conversation below.

He murmured softly to Chirrut as he listened to the conversation, the Guide recording everything Baze said for future reference with a small device. The recording wouldn't be able to be used as evidence in any court of law should they ever find one willing to put the Separatists on trial, but it would be good to have a record of who some of the major players in the Separatist faction were nonetheless. Once the meeting was over, they returned to the ship and then moved it further away from the droid foundries before sending the recording to the Councils once they'd gotten word that the backup ships were in place and could relay the signal properly.

“Did you hear anything else?” Master Windu asked.

“No. It was the Trade Federation who ordered the assassination of Senator Amidala, and they still want her dead,” Baze replied. “Do you want us to stay here, or should we return home?”

“Come home,” Plo Koon said after a moment's contemplation. “We'll continue to keep an eye on the Separatists and--”

An alarm went off in the ship, drawing everyone's attention.

“Baze?” Chirrut asked, immediately tensing up. “What's going on?”

“Droids are approaching,” Baze replied. “They're coming up fast. I'm not sure how they knew we were here.”

“It could be the transmission,” Plo Koon said. “Cut it off and get out of there! Your lives are worth more than information.”

Baze hurried to get the ship off the ground, rising up just as the droids reached where they'd been sitting. The droids shot at the ship even as it sped away, one stray laser blast hitting the wing of the ship and making it wobble dangerously in the air. Baze skillfully pushed the ship to its limits, breaking atmosphere and then heading into the vacuum of space. The backup teams waited until their ship had gotten clear of the rings before following after them, the three ships jumping into hyperspace as soon as they could.

Chirrut breathed a sigh of relief once they were in hyperspace, leaning back in his seat as Baze set the autopilot. “Well,” he said, feeling breathless even thought they hadn't been doing anything physically intense, “that was... interesting.”

“Interesting?” Baze echoed with a short, disbelieving laugh. “We were almost killed!”

“Yes, but we weren't,” Chirrut pointed out.. “We learned quite a bit, though.”

“True, but I'd rather not be shot at when all we're doing is scouting,” Baze said, sitting back and running a hand over his face. Chirrut smiled to himself and then got up from his seat.

“How long do we have until we get home?”

“An hour or so,” Baze replied with a small smile as he watched his Guide move around. “Why, what do you have planned?”

“That's more than enough time to reaffirm our bond,” Chirrut said, stripping off his outer robe and laying it aside before taking a seat on Baze's lap. Baze chuckled and wrapped his arms around his Guide, pulling him close.

“That's a wonderful idea,” he replied, nuzzling at Chirrut's neck as he scented him. Chirrut hummed in agreement as he focused on their shared mental shields, shoring up and soothing the minute fissures and fractures that appeared over a daily basis. It made their bond all the stronger, and was something they did daily, if not more, depending on how stressful things had been. The physical closeness was a balm to both of them as well, providing no small amount of comfort even if the seat they were in wasn't really meant for two grown men. Neither cared, and they were content to stay like that until they absolutely had to move.

 


	7. Wolf and Serpent

Plo Koon let out a tired sigh as he sank back into his chair, wearily rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. He'd been chosen as one of the main coordinators for the Sentinels and Guides amongst the clone army. The decision had been made to take them to Jedha while the rest of the army was to be kept on troop ships for the time being. Taking them to Coruscant was a bad idea, especially with the Chancellor doing everything he could to gain more power than what he already had. It wouldn't do to have the army within his grasp, though if Dooku did make outright war on the galaxy, the combined Orders would have to show their hand in order to win.

“Master Plo?”

Plo looked up to see one of the healers, a Cathar Sentinel by the name of Nithosi Khul, standing near the door to his office. She looked exhausted, which wasn't surprising. The healers had been running themselves ragged over the past few days with dealing with the influx of the clones. It was necessary to get a solid empathic and physical profile on the new Sentinels and Guides for their records, even if the Kaminoans had provided a basic form of the latter. It never hurt to have up-to-date and thorough records, after all.

“Nithosi. What can I help you with?” Plo asked as he focused on her. Nithosi gave him a tired smile in return.

“We've completed the last of the intakes for the clones,” she reported. “They've been uploaded to the database. It's amazing. The number of Sentinels versus Guides is a near-perfect ratio. There are slightly more Sentinels than Guides, though given the fact that they were made for war, it makes a good deal of sense.”

“Good. Go get some rest. You look like you need it. And Nithosi? You and the others have done good work. Thank you,” Plo told her. Nithosi smiled gratefully at him and then nodded before heading off to get some much needed rest. Plo rose to his feet, a soft groan escaping him as he stretched out his cramped muscles. He'd been sitting down far too much recently, and doubted he'd be able to do much more than take short walks around the indoor gardens during the precious little free time he'd have in the coming weeks.

He left his office, his feet taking him through the familiar halls and grounds of the Temple with barely a thought as to where he was going. He had thought to return to his quarters, but something was drawing him deeper into the Temple grounds. Plo let his feet wander as they wanted, and eventually wound up outside the large barracks where the clones were being housed for the time being. He hesitated briefly before stepping quietly inside, noting with satisfaction that the clones seemed to be well stocked with comfortable beds, clothing, and other necessities.

There were a few healers still about, making sure things continued to go well throughout the night. They seemed to be more rested than Nithosi, an important factor for ensuring the best care for their new brothers in the Force. Plo highly approved of it, and was glad that the clones were being so well looked after. He nodded to himself and turned to leave when a lanky-legged canine with dark gray fur and a sharp-looking muzzle approached him, its fur shimmering faintly with the psionic energy that marked all spirit guides.

Plo's own spirit guide, Vaki, was an _eerm_ , a serpent-like being native to his home planet that had rough and overlapping scales that were a pale and dusty red color. She had silvery eyes that glowed eerily in the light, but Plo had always been fond of Vaki's appearance, even if some amongst his kind had seen her as a bad omen. Plo hardly cared about superstitions like that. He was a Guide, and she was a sign of his deep connection to the living Force.

“Ah, hello,” Plo said, crouching down in front of the spirit guide in front of him so they were on a similar level. “How can I help you?”

The wolf regarded him for a moment before sniffing at him. “Hm. Yes. You're ours. Good. That will make things easier.”

Plo tilted his head curiously at her. “Pardon?”

“Come with me.”

The wolf turned with a flick of her tail and then trotted off, leaving Plo to follow. Now that he was actually focusing on more than just the clones, he could see spirit guides of all shapes and sizes scattered around the barracks. Avian, mammalian, reptilian, aquatic, insect, or otherwise-- due to the unique nature of the Force-based beings, spirit guides could be any non-sentient being and survive anywhere, regardless of physical limitations that would otherwise cripple actual members of their species. Most Sentinels and Guides had spirit guides that were native to their home planets, but not always. The sheer variety of spirit guides around him was proof of _that_.

Plo trailed after the wolf, tracking her to a bed on the far side of the barracks. The clones had arranged themselves so that half of the Sentinels were on the far side, half on the other, and the Guides in the middle. As far as Plo could tell, it was to protect the Guides from attack via the doors on either side of the large room. Not that anyone would be able to attack them this far into the Temple, but Plo wasn't about to say anything about their chosen method of protective organization. He could also see a few spots where two beds had been moved together, making him think that some of the clones had already paired up amongst themselves. He'd have to ask the healers about that, but at the moment, it wasn't really important to know the exact details.

The wolf stopped in front of a particular bed, hopping up onto the end and then curling up there, flicking her tail over her nose. Vaki shimmered into being, tongue flicking out momentarily as she tasted the air before she slithered up to and then over the wolf, curling up with every sign of enjoyment in the warm and soft cradle of the other spirit guide's body. The clone who was sitting on the bed stared briefly at the cuddling spirit guides before looking up at Plo, his eyes widening in shock as he focused on him.

“You're...”

“Your Guide,” Plo helpfully finished. “I must say, I wasn't expecting to find my Sentinel outside of my own species, but it's certainly a welcome surprise.” He held out a hand for the clone to shake. “I am Master Guide Plo Koon. And you are?”

“My designation is CC-3636, but most call me Wolffe because of Awa here,” came the reply as Wolffe took Plo's hand carefully. His eyes went half-closed as his senses locked onto Plo, going into a semi-dazed state as he categorized everything he could about his Guide. Plo felt the initial bond settle between them with all the grace and delicacy of a bird landing on a branch. Since their species were biologically incompatible, their final bond would be a deeply profound but non-sexual one, achieved by several long sessions of sensory imprinting and meditation with one another.

Once Wolffe had imprinted as much as he could as they were, he let go of Plo's hand, albeit rather reluctantly. “So,” he said, settling back on his bed, “what now?”

“Now?” Plo echoed. “Now you settle in as much as you can. We don't have to rush our bonding. I'd like to get to know you better. The bond will certainly help with that, but it won't cover everything.”

Wolffe nodded in agreement. “I can handle that,” he said. “Some of the others have already bonded. Fives and Tup--” He paused. “Their bonding... it was hard. The healers don't know why. They've been scanning both of them for a while now, but they haven't told us anything yet.”

“I'll look into it,” Plo promised, noting how Wolffe relaxed at that. The two clones mentioned must have been important to him, though given the deep camaraderie that naturally existed amongst Sentinels and Guides already, Plo wasn't surprised.

“Thanks. They were out of some of the more recent batches,” Wolffe explained. “They'd just finished their training a few days before we were moved here.”

“As I said, I'll ask the healers,” Plo said. He looked down at their spirit guides, a soft laugh leaving him. “Something tells me we won't be able to separate them after this.”

“Something tells me we won't mind,” Wolffe replied with a smile. Plo hummed in agreement before taking a seat on the edge of the bed, being careful not to disturb their spirit guides. He suddenly felt far less tired than he had before coming in, easily settling into conversation with his newly-found Sentinel. They were still talking some time later when a bonded pair of Togruta healers came into the barracks. Neither seemed surprised to see Plo there, which had him thinking that they'd known in advance.

Sure enough, the healers ended up at Wolffe's bed, identical solemn expressions on their faces.

“Leka, Sottoh,” Plo said, straightening up at the sight of the two females in front of him. “What news do you have for us?”

Leka cleared her throat gently before she spoke. “First, the bonded pair known as Fives and Tup will be fine,” she said as she folded her hands over her middle, her dusty blue skin contrasting pleasantly against the pale green of her healer's robes. A great deal of the tension in the room faded, with a few cheers going up at the good news. Leka held up a hand for silence.

“However,” she continued on, “we had to do a very deep scan on both of them to discern what the issue was. They both had an organic chip implanted in the same spot in their brains. From what we can tell, it was implanted at a very young age, perhaps even before they were truly born. Tup's was malformed while Fives' was not. That malformation is likely what was causing the issues in regards to the ease of their bonding.”

“Do you think all of us have this chip in our heads?” Wolffe asked, voicing the unspoken question that had come into every clone's mind after hearing the news.

“It's possible. We'd have to scan you all again,” Sottoh said. “We were only able to find the chips because of how deep the scans were. Thankfully, since we know where to look and what for, they won't take very long to get through.”

“If we've got these chips, then it's likely that our non-gifted brothers do as well,” Wolffe mused. “They've got to be told.”

“No need to worry,” Leka said soothingly. “We've already informed our Jedi counterparts. They've started testing the clones in their care. We've removed the chips from Tup and Fives, and our scientists are researching them. At the moment, the removal hasn't seemed to cause any changes in their personalities, but we'll see how it goes in a non-Sentinel or Guide clone. If all goes well, then we'll be looking for a non-invasive way to neutralize the chips. After all, performing surgery on a million and a quarter beings in any sort of manageable time frame would be all but impossible.”

“Tup used to report having nightmares about something he would be forced to do, but he never specified what it was, just that he had no control over his actions,” Wolffe said. “We never knew what he was talking about, but if his chip wasn't right, do you think it could be the cause of the nightmares?”

“Maybe. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough,” Sottoh said. “They're recovering from the surgery right now, and will rejoin you here as soon as they are able.”

“I want to volunteer for one of the first scans,” Wolffe offered, giving Plo a significant look. “I want-- no, _need_ \--this taken care of before we fully bond. There should only be two people in my head: me and my Guide. Anyone or -thing else is an unacceptable intruder.”

“Agreed,” Plo said. “We'll make sure our best are working on this. I know quite a few who will want to join in.”

“We've already got Sentinel Skywalker on tap to help decipher the coding,” Leka informed them, “as well as several others who are more well-versed in organic computing. We'll find a way to neutralize these chips, I promise.”

Plo nodded, hoping that the healer was right and that they'd be able to get the chips neutralized before they were used against them by the Sith. Now that he'd found his Sentinel, he wasn't about to let him go.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a nod to the wonderful work of Temuera Morrison as Jango Fett and the voice of the clones in the movies, all the clone spirit guides will have names of Maori origin.


	8. A Quiet Moment

Anakin was fascinated by the organic chips that had been implanted in Fives and Tup's brains. They seemed to be so innocuous and innocent, but the coding contained within was something else altogether. It was deviously elegant. Most of it did as the Kaminoans had reported, modifying behavior to ensure obedience and submissiveness, though not enough to eradicate individual personalities entirely. There was a large chunk of coding that was rather convoluted and somewhat encrypted, albeit not fully. It seemed to be something that would lie dormant until a trigger phrase was used, though what, exactly, 'Order 66' would activate was one of the parts of the coding that was more heavily encrypted than the rest.

Anakin and the other researchers were confident they could safely neutralize the chips given time. At the moment, neither Dooku nor the Sith seemed eager to activate the chips, and hopefully wouldn't before they were taken out of action entirely. Order 66 seemed like an end-game maneuver, one meant to be employed if things weren't going the way the Sith wanted. Still, the quicker the chips were dealt with, the better.

The research had been going on for a solid week now, and in that time, Dooku had decided to lose all pretense of civility and had begun outright using his droid army to intimidate planets into joining him. There had been little choice but to deploy the clones, because otherwise Dooku would've absolutely dominated innocent beings who had no reasonable ability to defend themselves against such overwhelming odds. Such a move had, of course, brought the attention of the Senate to the issue of the clone army, with many claiming that the Jedi were going to take over the galaxy once they wiped out Dooku.

Others scoffed at that, doing their best to remind their fellow politicians that the Jedi had never had an eye on controlling anything save for their own Temples and enclaves, instead preferring to act as protectors of the Galaxy rather than rulers. Padmé was amongst them, having gone to Coruscant for the emergency session that had been called, Baze and Chirrut acting as her protective detail while Anakin helped with the research. He wished he could be there with her, but they'd both agreed that his time would be better spent on Jedha with the research team than stuck on Coruscant in the middle of all the politics.

They kept in touch via their spirit guides and com-calls, gladly utilizing the fact that the former could travel across the galaxy within the space of a heartbeat if needed, acting as a fantastic method of near-instant forewarning if needed. Padmé's spirit guide, a lively tusk cat by the name of Calein, often kept Anakin company, while Shiri stayed with Padmé, keeping unseen but nearby nonetheless, as her tangible form often didn't fit in the confined spaces Padmé frequented. As a known Guide, people tended to try not to antagonize Padmé too much, though as with any gathering of politicians, tempers often ran high and sharp words were thrown around.

Eventually, the furor calmed down in the face of the greater threat that Dooku and his droids posed, though Palpatine did his best to try to use the high tensions to once again grab more power than he rightfully should. He was swiftly blocked from both sides, with neither the Separatist supporters nor the Republic loyalists wanting one man to have so much concentrated political influence. Palpatine seemed very put out by that, and when Padmé took a brief empathic read of the man as they passed in a hall, she was horrified to find that the man's aura was even more twisted and dark than it had been just mere weeks before. She doubted that it would be much longer before he was corrupted beyond any sort of recovery, assuming that he hadn't already passed that point long ago and was only just hanging on to his civility by the skin of his teeth.

Padmé raised her concerns with a few members of the Jedi Council, earning a contemplative look from Master Unduli. “Perhaps it is time to raise a vote of no confidence against him,” she said. “That, or officially place a political sanction him.” Master Unduli hummed thoughtfully. “We could do the same for Dooku. I doubt even his allies would want to remain associated with him after that, even with all that he's promised them.”

“It might work, or it might turn against us spectacularly,” Master Ki-Adi-Mundi mused. “It could drive Dooku or Palpatine to greater heights of darkness. We will have to be careful in our approaches to both of them. For now, I suggest that we focus on Dooku. At the moment, he's the greater threat. Palpatine is being stifled by his own political aspirations. It appears that no one wants to see him with more power than what he already has, which works in our favor for the time being.”

Padmé frowned a little at what she saw as an overly cautious approach-- she thought that Palpatine was just as valid a threat as Dooku, perhaps even more so, and didn't like leaving him to sit and gather more power while they were focused solely on Dooku. She left the meeting feeling rather annoyed, and headed to her chambers to meditate, Baze and Chirrut dutifully escorting her there.

“I can't believe them,” Padmé said as they went, “dismissing a threat like that.”

“I don't think they dismissed it, but merely put it aside to focus on what they think is the bigger one,” Baze said. “I don't agree, myself, but the Jedi have always had different views on things like this.”

“True,” Chirrut agreed. “They seem to be more reactive than proactive. Yet another difference between our Orders.”

“I just wish we could set our spirit guides on the both of them,” Padmé said when they reached her chambers. “No one's figured out how Palpatine or Dooku are evading them, even when the spirit guides stay immaterial and invisible.”

“Maybe a Sith technique?” Chirrut suggested, allowing Baze to guide him over to one of the couches, an amused smile on his face at his Sentinel's gentle fussing. Baze settled in next to him, one arm sliding easily around Chirrut's waist as he pulled him close. Chirrut leaned in against him, content to do as directed for the time being.

“Maybe,” Baze said, watching as Padmé set a cushion on the floor and then folded herself down onto it after taking her shoes off. She settled in, taking a deep breath in before letting it out to calm herself. A few more repeats and Padmé was fully ensconced in a meditative trance that allowed her to refocus and calm down. She didn't usually have much of a temper, normally being the more emotionally settled of the two between her and Anakin, but the hesitance of the Jedi Council had rubbed her the wrong way.

Shiri appeared and curled up around Padmé, some of her bulk phasing through the furniture, though the canyon krayt dragon hardly seemed to care. Padmé leaned back against Shiri, a small smile curving her lips at the contact. Shiri was rather protective of Padmé, and always had been, much like Anakin. Padmé didn't mind, knowing it was just part and parcel of having a Sentinel, particularly one with a higher threat response than normal.

Slavery had left its mark on Anakin, even if most of the physical effects had long since faded away into distant memory. He still had problems with eating properly, often eating too little at any one time. The therapists at the Temple had done their best to fix that, but it was likely he'd carry it with him his entire life. Padmé, Baze, and Chirrut had taken to carrying small nutrient- and calorie-dense food bars with them in their pockets just in case, badgering Anakin into eating them if it had been too long since he'd consumed anything. He took their well-meaning hovering with good grace most of the time, though sometimes it got a bit too much for him, which had him firmly but politely refusing the food unless he really needed it.

Padmé rose from her meditation three quarters of an hour later, feeling far more settled and refreshed than she had when she'd initially sat down. She rose to her feet, one hand bracing against Shiri's warm, scaly hide, partially in thanks and partially to steady herself after having been in a modified kneeling position for so long. She stretched her legs out, wincing at the faint popping noises her knees and ankles made as she did so. Baze and Chirrut had moved while Padmé had been meditating, with Baze moving into the small kitchen area to make some tea while Chirrut stayed near Padmé, Minzhe standing guard as well.

“Minzhe,” Padmé said with a fond smile. “It's good to see you.”

“And you,” Minzhe replied warmly, ruffling his wings idly. “I just came from Anakin. He's helped with the clone chip research and the droid viruses as much as he can, but the war is progressing faster than we'd hoped. He's been drafted into acting as a battle commander. He'll be working with Master Kenobi and his unit for now. I was visiting with Calein when Anakin got the call.”

“Thank you,” Padmé said. She didn't like the idea of Anakin being off at the war front without her, but she knew that some of the clones in Master Kenobi's unit were Sentinels and Guides, so Anakin wouldn't be alone in that regard. It soothed her instincts some, but not entirely. She knew that they had to fight the war on two fronts-- political and physical –but that didn't mean she had to like being separated from her Sentinel for so long.

“Of course. He sends his love and asks you to keep as safe as you can,” Minzhe continued on, “and for you to not go looking for trouble.”

Padmé snorted softly. “Like he doesn't do that himself,” she said. Baze laughed as he brought a tray with cups of tea on it, as well as a few light snacks.

“You two are well matched, then,” he said as he set the tray down on the low table in the center of the room. He took one of the cups and handed it to Baze, who accepted it with a smile and a murmur of thanks. “He'll be fine, I'm sure of it. Just watch and see.”

“I certainly hope you're right,” Padmé said as she took her cup of tea from the tray, relishing the warmth that immediately soaked into her palms. The most that she could hope for was that this war wouldn't last too long and cost too many lives. It was all anyone could ask.

 


	9. Choosing Sides

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any and all recognizable dialogue from the 'Star Wars: Clone Wars' animated series is not mine and (c) Disney/Lucasfilm. No disrespect is meant, etc, etc. I make nothing but my own enjoyment from this.

Aayla ran through the halls of the _Liberty_ , her unlit lightsaber held tightly in her hand while Bly, her clone commander and Guide-to-be-- much like Wolffe and Plo, they were waiting to fully bond until the chips were neutralized or able to be removed wholesale in all of the clones, though theirs would decidedly not be a platonic one, if Aayla had her way --ran alongside her, the few clone troopers who'd managed to survive the onslaught from the battle droids following closely along behind them. General Skywalker was, at last report, doing his best to board the ship with his own squad of clones, General Kenobi, and Kenobi's new Padawan. Aayla wasn't sure she liked the idea of bringing Padawans into active war zones, especially not ones who had only just earned that rank, but the Jedi seemed to believe in trial by fire for their field training, something that made Aayla's teeth itch.

Young ones should not be made to fight in wars, regardless of how talented they might be with weapons nor the need for warm bodies on the field of battle. Aayla herself had first seen battle at the age of sixteen, but she considered that (or its equivalent, depending on a species's lifespan) the youngest any being should be allowed to fight; any younger and they were just child soldiers, often too young to fully understand the ramifications of the battles they fought in.

The sound of droids approaching shook Aayla out of her thoughts, her muscles tensing in preparation to fight. She activated her lightsaber just as a blaster bolt hit the wall in front of her. It was chaos after that as they fought for their lives, both regular and super battle droids coming in seemingly never-ending waves. The chaos abated some when Generals Skywalker, Kenobi, the Padawan, and their squad of clones arrived, bringing with them a brief respite from the fight.

“Nice entrance, Skywalker!” Aayla called out. “What took you so long?”

“Had a little trouble finding a decent landing spot,” Anakin replied with a grin as he blocked a blaster bolt and sent it back towards the battle droid that had shot it at him, neatly burning a hole in its armor and incapacitating it in the process. “I'll introduce you to the others later. Now's not really the time.”

“Right. How do you plan to get us out of this mess?” Aayla asked as they ran down the hallway, the others following close behind them.

“We've got a ship docking in the lower hangar bay as we speak,” Anakin said, grunting softly as he deflected more blaster bolts. They cleared the hall of droids and then ran as fast as they could, turning a corner only to come up against one battle droid who was quickly joined by others. The small party fled, heading down another corridor as the ship rocked and boomed around them with each hit. Obi-Wan's Padawan hit the controls for the docking bridge to extend once they reached the port, the doors slowly but surely irising open once the connection was made.

The sound of an explosion nearby had both Anakin and Aayla turning, trying to track the noise. Anakin, who was at the back of the group, saw the glow of the explosion at the far end of the hall and then _pushed_ the others to safety inside the ship before quickly turning to hopefully block the majority of the blast with the quickly-closed door. The metal groaned as it tried to contain the explosion, but soon gave way under its power, slamming into Anakin and throwing him back.

“Don't move the ship!” Aayla said into the radio on her wrist communicator, using the broadcasting frequency, most, if not all, of the Republic ships used. She cut through the door to find out where Anakin was, quickly discerning where her fellow Sentinel was and then pulling him to safety on the ship.

“Go!” Obi-Wan told the pilot as they did their best to get away from the exploding ship. Obi-Wan and Bly got Anakin to the medical bay while Aayla went to the cockpit to inform Admiral Yularen that they were coming to board the _Resolute_. Yularen was, understandably, rather incredulous about this.

“You'll never be able to dock with our ship in the middle of this battle!” he insisted.

“We have no choice, Admiral,” Aayla retorted. “General Skywalker's condition may be critical, and we need to get him to a medical facility equipped for Sentinels. We _must_ get him on board the _Resolute_ before he goes into a catastrophic fugue state, or worse.”

“Are all Sentinels so dramatic and reckless?” came the exasperated query.

Aayla merely smiled. “Just the good ones.”

The Admiral looked highly unimpressed at that but acquiesced anyways, terminating the connection between the two vessels after ordering the docking bay to be made ready as soon as possible. However, it was not to be, as a lucky shot hit the ship just outside its forward window, the concussive force making the unconscious body of one of their clone pilots slump forward and hit the button to go into hyperspace. They barely made it away from the _Resolute_ before the jump happened, with Aayla, Bly, Obi-Wan, and the Jedi's apprentice (who Aayla had learned was named Ahsoka) just barely managing to get the ship through its journey out of hyperspace and slingshot just past a star before they crash-landed on a nearby planet.

The ship burst into flames scant seconds after they managed to clear it of people; Aayla helped Obi-Wan get Anakin to safety while Bly helped his injured brother out just before them. They got the two patients situated in a makeshift camp with some of the parts of their ship that weren't horribly on fire or warped beyond all belief by the landing in an effort to provide some shelter from the elements.

“So,” Ahsoka said once they were all settled around a quickly-made fire, “what now?” She turned to Obi-Wan. “Master?”

Obi-Wan stared at the flames contemplatively. “We'll need to find help for Anakin. We don't know what kinds of injuries he sustained in that blast, nor if he'll recover without immediate medical help.”

“We don't even know where we are,” Aayla pointed out. “There's no telling if this is a friendly planet or if it's inhabited. However, I agree that we need to get him help if we can. I have a few medical supplies on me, but I don't know if they'll be enough.”

She set to work, patching up what she could of Anakin's wounds with what she had on hand. It wouldn't be enough, but at least he wouldn't be in danger of dying from blood loss-- externally, anyways. However, with a combination of the Force and her own senses, Aayla couldn't find any internal bleeding, which helped her confidence that Anakin would make it.

“He is not as severely injured as we thought,” she said, blinking a little to refocus on the others. Bly placed a supporting hand on her back, earning a fond smile in thanks as she leaned back into his touch. Aayla noticed Ahsoka's confusion about how close she and Bly were being, and resolved to talk to the young Padawan about it when they had time.

“That's good,” Bly said. “Why don't we send our spirit guides out to scout? They can move faster than we can, and remain unseen. No use in going too far from the wreck with two injured people, especially since we don't know if this place in inhabited by friendlies or not.”

Aayla nodded before focusing on calling her spirit guide, Kibo. Kibo shimmered into being after a few seconds, a yawn showing off his sharp white teeth as he settled in front of Aayla. Bly's spirit guide, Rihi, appeared a few moments later, her delicate-looking tentacles swaying gently as she bobbed around in the air in front of him. Kibo looked around them before focusing on Aayla, his two near-prehensile tails twining around one another as he sat down.

“Well, this is a fine mess you're in,” he said dryly.

“We're aware,” Aayla replied. “Can you two help us? We don't know where we've landed and we need to know if there are first, any friendly native settlements nearby; and second, if there is a Separatist presence on this planet.”

“We should also inform the Admiral that we're alive,” Rex added. Rihi waved a crimson-hued tentacle idly.

“No need to worry,” she said. “We can do all three in plenty of time. You lot should just stay put. Wandering around on an unknown planet when it's so near night time is never a good idea, nor is moving injured people.”

Obi-Wan chuckled. “We'll bow to your greater wisdom,” he said with a small incline of his head. “Thank you for doing this for us.”

Kibo hummed. “You're welcome. We're always happy to help when we can. Come on, Rihi. Let's get moving.”

Rihi bobbed in agreement before vanishing, Kibo following momentarily after her. Aayla sat back, leaning more heavily into Bly's side. Bly slid his arm around her waist to help support her, not that Aayla minded. She kept her senses partially trained on Anakin, monitoring him the best she could, but not to complete distraction. She wasn't a healer, but she knew enough field medicine to stabilize someone. Having Bly so close to her helped keep Aayla's senses steadier than normal, even with an incomplete bond.

The others set up a bit of a guard rotation as night truly fell, the darkness coming on rapidly. It was a few minutes later before Ahsoka came over to where Aayla and Bly were while Obi-Wan and Rex were on patrol. She hovered nearby awkwardly before taking a seat in front of them, her back to the fire.

“Is there something we can help you with, Ahsoka?” Aayla asked, curious to see what the young Padawan had to say.

“It's just...” Ahsoka paused, trying to figure out the best way to say what she wanted. “My teachers say that Jedi aren't supposed to make deep emotional connections with others, that we have to learn how to let go of our attachments. Why isn't that the case with Sentinels and Guides?”

“What do you know about us?” Bly asked.

Ahsoka sat back, unconsciously straightening her back and folding her hands in her lap as she adopted a recitation pose taught to Jedi younglings early on in their learning careers. “Sentinels and Guides are chosen by the Force to be warriors for the Light Side, regardless of whether or not their species is known to be Force-sensitive. The Sentinels have enhanced senses, and the Guides, enhanced psionic abilities. They form pair bonds that help their abilities balance one another out and keep them from falling to the Dark Side.”

“That's true, for the most part,” Aayla said, “though it's a little more complicated than that. While our pair bonds do keep us balanced, so do our attachments to others.” She gestured at Anakin's still form. “Anakin, for example, has what we call a familial pack. His mother, Guide, and...” She paused, trying to find the right words to describe Chirrut and Baze. “Let's call them surrogate fathers/mentors. It's the closest description for them. Anyways, that pack has provided him with much needed stability over the years. He was actually one of my first students I was allowed to mentor.”

Aayla smiled in amusement at the remembrance of everything Anakin had gotten up to in his younger days-- and still did. “He's always been very independent and strong-headed, but he's also fiercely protective of those he cares for. He's a good man and friend.”

“So, Sentinels and Guides can't fall to the Dark Side because of their connections?” Ahsoka checked. Aayla's smile faded a little before she exchanged glances with Bly.

“Well,” Bly said carefully, “not bonded pairs, or individuals-- bonded or not --who have the support of others. A Sentinel or Guide who loses that support, especially in a catastrophic way? It's said that one of the most dangerous things in the galaxy is a Sentinel or Guide with nothing to lose. Our connections are our anchors; without those, we either self-destruct or simply stop caring about anything, including living. It's a delicate balance, very much like the path you walk.”

Ahsoka nodded and was about to speak when Kibo and Rihi appeared nearby.

“That didn't take long,” Obi-Wan noted.

“We did tell you we would be quick,” Rihi replied. “The Admiral has been informed that you're all alive. There are natives on this planet, and they seem to be sentient. There's a village not far from here; maybe half a klick at the most. However, there is a Separatist outpost here as well, though we couldn't really tell what they're here for. It would be best if we steer clear of them.”

“Agreed,” Obi-Wan said. “We--”

He broke off, a frown forming as he tensed up, movement on the edge of camp catching his attention. Aayla focused on the movement, hand going to her 'saber. A low growl sounded before a large beast with both avian and feline features burst out of the foliage surrounding the camp. The others barely had time to react before Aayla was moving with a violent burst of Force-assisted speed, her 'saber igniting in a snap-hiss of plasma. Obi-Wan was mere milliseconds behind her, his 'saber coming to life as well.

The two of them attacked the beast in as swift and decisive a manner as they could, the Force guiding them to work in sync even though they'd never properly fought together as a team before. It was the work of a few moments before the beast was laying dead on the ground at the edge of the camp, the two warriors panting lightly as they deactivated their weapons.

“I think,” Obi-Wan said as he surveyed the beast's corpse, “that we should get to that village as fast as we can manage it. If nothing else, it'd be better shelter than what we have now, especially against creatures like that.”

“Assuming that they'll give us shelter,” Rex said. “How're we going to get General Skywalker there?”

“Easy,” Aayla replied. “We can use the Force to carry him. It'll be safer than a stretcher. I can carry him while the rest of you act as guards against more of those beasts. Rihi and Kibo can take us to the village and we'll go from there.”

“Alright. Let's get the fire taken care of and then head out,” Bly said. One of the other clones doused the fire, spreading dirt over the embers just in case. The party headed out, with Aayla carefully levitating Anakin with the Force, keeping him steady as they went. The two spirit guides led them over the terrain, doing their best to avoid the tall grasses that might hold more of those beasts. They reached the outskirts of the village without any harm, something all of them were thankful about.

They were met by the some of the inhabitants at the edge of the village, though it was clear that the small beings were very wary of them. They were brought to what seemed to be a central meeting hall, the large seed pods that made up the outer structures of the buildings surprisingly roomy inside, even with their large group. Once they were settled around a campfire, the elder of the tribe-- who they learned were called the Lurmen –Tee Watt Kaa spoke; his son, Wag Too, helped to heal Anakin during the conversation.

“We want no part of your war,” the elder said firmly. “We came here to escape the violence that the Jedi and the Separatists have wrought on the galaxy. Your people are no keepers of the peace. Only by laying down arms on both sides can this war truly be over.”

“We can't do that,” Obi-Wan said, “and nor were we the ones to start this war.”

“Regardless of who started the war, it needs to end,” Tee Watt Kaa insisted.

“And we are doing our best to do that,” Aayla replied. The elder huffed at that.

“So you say, but we have yet to see any proof of your claims.”

“We're doing our best!” Ahsoka snapped, shrinking back a little when Obi-Wan shot her a pointed look. “Sorry.”

“Enough,” Tee Watt Kaa said. “You can stay for the night, but you must leave in the morning.”

“How? Our ship crashed,” Bly pointed out.

“That's no concern of ours,” Tee Watt Kaa told him. “You are the ones who came here; you can figure something out, I'm sure. It's time to sleep now. Your Sentinel companion will be mostly healed by morning's light. We'll provide shelter for you, but only for the night.”

“Understood,” Obi-Wan said as he got to his feet. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

Tee Watt Kaa nodded sharply, gesturing for one of his people to lead the small party to a free seed pod shelter where they could spend the night. Rex stayed with Anakin, not wanting to leave him alone overnight just in case. The accommodations were cramped but they managed it, keeping Ahsoka the farthest away from the entrance out of sheer habit in case there was an attack.

The next morning found them eating breakfast in the main shelter with a much recovered Anakin, who looked far better than he had after the attack, albeit still rather sore. He let Aayla do a quick sensory scan on him, a fondly amused smile quirking his lips as he watched her.

“Do I pass inspection, General?” he teased gently once she was done. Aayla rolled her eyes.

“Yes, you do,” she said, “but I still want you to--”

The far-off sound of an approaching ship had both Sentinels turning to focus on it, though Anakin groaned softly at the movement.

“No fast movements,” Wag Too instructed as Bly and Rex helped Anakin up. “You're not fully healed.”

“I know, but we shouldn't be found here,” Anakin replied with a grimace. “They'll slaughter your whole people if they find us.”

“What fresh trouble have you Jedi brought to us?” came Tee Watt Kaa's demand from the open doorway.

“We didn't bring it,” Ahsoka said. “They would've come anyways. They already have an outpost here, after all.”

Tee Watt Kaa huffed at that. “Be that as it may, I'll still be greeting our new visitors. Maybe they'll be willing to listen to reason.”

“I doubt it,” Obi-Wan said as Tee Watt Kaa turned to go meet the Separatist party. “Let's get into the tall grass outside. Otherwise, they'll raze the entire village to the ground to kill us.”

“Agreed.” Aayla led the way out, using the distraction of the landing party to get everyone to safety in the long grass. She crouched down near the edge of the grass, using her enhanced sight and hearing to observe what was going on with the landing party.

“I am General Lok Durd of the Separatist Alliance. You are now under our protection. I congratulate you on your good fortune,” the Neimoidian general was saying as he strode forward, droids gathered around him in formation.

“We already enjoy good fortune,” Tee Watt Kaa told him. “We aren't looking for any more.”

Lok Durd ignored him, instructing the droids to ransack the village to 'secure' his new colony. The Lurmen scattered, trying to get away from the trouble-causing droids. Aayla sighed softly and then lowered her hearing and sight back to normal before turning to the others.

“Let's go,” she said quietly, keeping her voice down to not attract any unwanted attention. “That outpost likely has a ship we can use, or, failing that, a communications array so we can send a message to the Admiral. Let's move as quickly and quietly as possible. No need to attract any unneeded attention.”

“Agreed,” Obi-Wan commented, speaking softly as well. “Rex, Cameron, you two stay behind and keep an eye on the Separatists. Report back to us if they do anything. I don't trust them to just be here to look around.”

“You've got it, sir,” Rex replied. “We'll keep a sharp eye on those clankers and their commander.”

“Good. Thank you,” Aayla said. “Kibo?”

The spirit guide shimmered into view, inclining his head in the closest approximation of a nod he could manage. “Follow me,” he murmured before leading the way through the tall grass to the outpost. They had just reached a good hiding spot near the outpost when Rex reported in about the weapons test Lok Durd had performed with his defoliator.

“We've got to stop them,” Bly said grimly. “If they use that on other inhabited worlds--”

“The Lurmen won't be able to defend themselves against that,” Aayla said. “I know they don't want to fight, but I don't think we can just leave them to be burned alive, either.”

“Agreed,” Obi-Wan said. “We won't ask them to fight, but we can't leave them to die.”

“If we take out the commander, we can easily dispatch the droids,” Anakin commented. “We have to get close enough to him, first, though.”

“Let's get a shuttle and some shield generators,” Ahsoka suggested. “It'll help protect the Lurmen without making them have to fight if they don't want to. I'm sure that there're both at this outpost.”

“A sound idea,” Obi-Wan said approvingly, giving his Padawan a small but proud smile for the idea. Ahsoka returned the smile, glad she was able to contribute to the plan. It took some doing, but eventually they managed to steal a shuttle and the shield generators from right under the droids' non-existent noses just after dark, using rocks and the spirit guides to distract them as needed until they could be destroyed. They had to wait until just before morning to move the shuttle back near the Lurmen village without Lok Durd and his party noticing. The clear area in the center of the village allowed them to land the shuttle neatly, though Tee Watt Kaa protested greatly against it.

“What are you doing here? I told you not to return!”

“I'm afraid that the Separatists don't care whether you're in the war or not,” Anakin replied calmly. “We need to get you to safety before they arrive.”

“We're not trying to run roughshod over your beliefs,” Obi-Wan added, “but ours demand we fight against those trying to cause unthinkable harm to others.”

“If it is our destiny to be destroyed in your war, then so be it,” Tee Watt Kaa told them before walking away. Ahsoka made a frustrated noise and then turned to the others.

“What are we going to do?”

“What we do best,” Aayla replied. “Protect others.”

-/-

The call that the Separatists were arriving came just as the barrier of seed pods at the front of the village was finished being built. Tee Watt Kaa looked on in disapproval, arms crossed over his chest. That disapproval lasted up to the point when a defoliator round was launched at the village, the shields snapping into place moments before the round hit the ground barely five meters away from the seed pod wall. The fire washed up and over the shields, creating an apocalyptic scene that nightmares were born from. Both Aayla and Anakin dimmed their sight briefly, not wanting to be forced into a zone out just before battle.

The battle that followed was an intense one. They wiped the first squad of droids out easily, lightsabers and blasters eliminating them quickly, but the second wave of two squads was far trickier. The droids got through the shield, taking out the generators faster than they themselves could be destroyed. The mechanical warriors shot at the Lurmens' shelters, drilling holes in them with their blasters.

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan worked to cut down as many droids as they could in the village with half of the clones, while Aayla, Bly, and the other half of the clones stayed on the battlefield. Anakin was one of the biggest helps, destroying the defoliator weapon and then capturing Lok Durd as the Neimoidian tried to run away. The rest of the battle was easy after that, with the last of the droids being finished off by Ahsoka with the assistance of Wag Too and some of his friends.

“Thank you,” Wag Too said as Rex and the other clones loaded Lok Durd and his two compatriots into the shuttle to await transport to the incoming Republic ships. “Our village would certainly have been destroyed without your protection.”

He perked up a little when he saw his father approaching with Aayla and Obi-Wan. “Father. I was just giving the Jedi our thanks.”

“Hm. Yes, I do suppose we owe you our thanks,” Tee Watt Kaa said as the Republic ships entered the atmosphere high overhead, “but at what cost, I wonder?”

That comment stayed with Ahsoka on the ride back to the _Resolute_ , her thoughts churning. She also had a raging headache, something that had started during the battle. That had been happening more and more often recently, especially after she'd been in intense fights. It hadn't been so bad when they'd been rescuing Aayla and her clone squad from the _Liberty_ , but as the tense days had gone on, the pain had gotten worse. She did her best to keep it from her Master, but Obi-Wan was annoyingly perceptive when it came to her attempts to keep secrets.

“Is something bothering you, Ahsoka?” he asked softly as the shuttle neared the _Resolute_.

“I'm fine, Master,” Ahsoka replied quickly. “Just tired from all the fighting. It'll be good to sleep in a real bed again, even if it's only a bunk on the ship.”

Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow at her response, not entirely convinced she was telling the truth. Ahsoka gave him a quick smile before turning away, unwilling to let him see any trace of pain on her face. Obi-Wan's patience with her lies lasted only as long as it took for the shuttle to dock with the _Resolute_ ; he guided her gently but firmly to the infirmary, having one of the medical droids look her over. When it didn't find anything obviously wrong with her, Obi-Wan took her to the quarters that had been assigned to Aayla and Bly-- Anakin was firmly ensconced in the infirmary himself –wanting a second opinion.

Ahsoka begrudgingly let her Master fuss over her, though to be honest, if Aayla was able to figure out what was causing the headaches, then she'd very thankful indeed. Aayla seemed surprised to see the two of them outside the door.

“Can I help you two?” she asked curiously.

“I'm sorry to impose, but would you do a health scan on my Padawan?” Obi-Wan requested. “The medical droid couldn't find anything wrong save for a few bumps and bruises, but I want to be sure.”

Aayla nodded and then gestured for them to come inside. Ahsoka was startled to see Bly entirely out of his armor and dressed in a simple shirt and pants, his feet bare. She'd never seen one of the clone troopers without their armor; she knew he was fully clothed, but it still felt as if she'd walked in on him in the nude. Bly saw her surprised expression and then chuckled.

“Not what you were expecting, little warrior?” he asked in amusement, setting down the piece of armor he'd been cleaning before getting to his feet. Ahsoka's cheeks went a dark orange as she blushed at his comment.

“It's certainly a different look,” she said as Aayla had her sit down on a nearby chair. “Not a bad one, though.”

“Thank you. Now, hold still and let Aayla do her work.”

Ahsoka did as told, going as still as she could while still breathing. It was fascinating to watch Aayla work, even if Ahsoka couldn't tell exactly what it was, precisely, that the Sentinel was doing. Her fascination turned to worry when Aayla had Bly come over for some reason. Bly hesitated for a moment before reaching out and placing a hand against Ahsoka's temple. A few seconds passed before Ahsoka let out a soft sound of surprise.

“My headache's gone,” she said, eyes wide. “What did you do?”

“Placed a simple empathic shield around your mind,” Bly replied. “I think you might be coming online as a Guide.”

Ahsoka stared at him. “W-What? But I'm a _Jedi_!” she insisted. “I can't be a Guide!”

“Most Sentinels and Guides come into their abilities during their young years,” Aayla told her. “You wouldn't be the first who has had to switch between our Orders. It's why we're two halves of the same whole. I have little doubt that this war will change quite a few things for many people.”

“But... Does that mean I'll have to leave my Master?” Ahsoka asked shakily, looking over at Obi-Wan, who sent a supportive smile her way.

“I'm sure we can figure something out,” he said. “After all, our two Orders are actually working together for the first time in...” He frowned faintly. “You know, I'm not sure how long, to be honest. That doesn't mean we'll have to leave one another. Why don't we bring this before the Councils and let them decide? Aayla, you mentioned that this has happened before?”

Aayla nodded. “Yes, it has.” She smiled a little. “Master Plo Koon was one such transfer. He actually came into his Guide gifts scant months before he was due to take the Trials to become a Jedi Knight.” She chuckled. “He was not particularly pleased to have his plans changed around like that, from what I've heard. Then again, all is as the Force wills it. Bly and I would be happy to work with you on controlling your new skills, Ahsoka, and I'm sure General Skywalker would as well. I believe you'll enjoy meeting his Guide.”

Ahsoka calmed a little at that. The fact that she wouldn't have to immediately leave her Master's side was reassuring, as was the easy support she was getting from Aayla and Bly. Maybe being a Guide wouldn't be too bad after all. At least she wouldn't have to _completely_ start her training over again. Maybe, just maybe, she could be the first Jedi Guide in the galaxy.

That sounded just about right.

 


	10. Feeling the Force

Bly watched Ahsoka do her best to create her own mental shields as they sat together in one of the public meditation rooms of the Sentinel/Guide Temple on Jedha. The Padawan was meditating-- or at least, trying her best to do so --which was the first step to the shields' creation, but something about her usual method was causing her to get distracted. Ahsoka let out a sharp huff of air and then opened her eyes.

“It's not working,” she said in frustration. Bly held up calming hands.

“There are other methods,” he said reassuringly. “This was just the way I learned. It might not work the same for you, and that's okay. Tell you what, why don't I go get someone who's more experienced than me?”

Ahsoka smiled lopsidedly. “That probably wouldn't hurt,” she said. “No offense, but maybe someone else would be better.”

“None taken,” Bly said easily as he got up. “I think I know just the right person.”

Ahsoka watched him go, feeling like she'd failed something easy in her training. She _hated_ failing anything, especially something she has expected to be easy. Meditation was something she'd learned when she was still a youngling, and she had no idea why this was being difficult. Ahsoka was roused out of her thoughts a few minutes later when Bly returned, bringing with him a human male she'd never met before.

Said male looked to be in his early to mid thirties, if Ahsoka was to be any judge, and had a wooden staff in his hand. His eyes were a curious bluish-white color, one that was usually associated with blindness in most species. Her theory was confirmed when she saw that he didn't focus on her, but rather the general area she was in. Ahsoka rose to her feet, looking curiously between Bly and the man.

“This,” Bly said, giving Ahsoka a smile, “is Master Guide Chirrut Îmwe . He's part of General Skywalker's familial pack. Chirrut, this is Ahsoka Tano, Master Kenobi's Padawan and a newly emerged Guide.”

“Come now, Bly, I'm hardly a master of anything,” Chirrut commented with an amused smile, “though my lovely husband might say I'm a master of foolish acts on occasion. Now, Ahsoka, Bly tells me you're having some trouble forming your permanent mental shields?”

Ahsoka sighed softly. “Yes. I don't know why, but I can't focus correctly right now. I used to be able to meditate so easily before my Guide gifts emerged.”

“Hm.” Chirrut looked thoughtful. “Come with me, then. You'll need shoes for this-- at least, for now.”

Ahsoka followed after him curiously, Bly accompanying them out of the Temple. They headed into the city, Chirrut going unerringly to the marketplace. He stopped at a cart that was selling fragrant sweet buns with savory meat within, and bought three of them, handing one each to Ahsoka and Bly before leading the way to a waist-high wall that bounded one side of the marketplace. Chirrut took a perch on it, settling his staff against the wall next to him.

“Come, sit,” he said, patting the wall next to him. Ahsoka took a seat next to him, Bly leaning against the wall as he ate his food.

“So, how is this supposed to help me meditate?” Ahsoka asked before taking a bite of her bun. The unknown meat inside was perfectly seasoned and a delight to taste, something that appealed to Ahsoka's carnivorous habits.

“Well, you can't meditate very well with an empty stomach,” Chirrut said with a small smile. “Finish your food and we'll move to step two.”

Ahsoka followed his instructions, savoring the delicious meal. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until she started eating. She finished her food after a few minutes and then looked to Chirrut for further instructions.

“Done?” Chirrut asked, cocking his head briefly at her.

“Yes. Now what?”

“Now you close your eyes and focus on your surroundings,” Chirrut said before following his own instructions, his hands folded loosely in his lap. “Bly and I will provide the shielding you'll need. All I want you to do is let the Force flow through you. Sense the beings all around us without focusing solely on just one.”

Ahsoka gave Bly a confused look but did as told after an encouraging nod from the clone, closing her eyes and letting her hands rest in her lap. She took in a deep breath and then let it out slowly before focusing on the Force, reaching for the familiar warmth that she'd learned to associate with it. It always felt like a warm breeze flowing past her when she focused on it, lending speed to her movements or sending snatches of scents or sounds her way when needed. It was easier to let her mind drift along with the Force's movements than to try to create her shields or even meditate as she'd been taught, as she merely had to trust in the Force to guide her rather than focus on one particular thing. Each being was like a tree the wind had to move around, some more flexible than others and some entirely unmoving.

“Good,” came Chirrut's voice, sounding surprisingly distant and muffled, as if coming from the other side of a thin wall. “Each being that you can sense is part of the tribe, regardless of what species they are. From Abbysins to Zabraks and everything in between and beyond, these are the beings we protect. Jedi do the same, of course, but Sentinels and Guides are literally hardwired to do so. It is a Force-given drive that is a constant amongst us.”

“So, why am I doing this?” Ahsoka asked curiously.

“To gain a little perspective,” Chirrut replied, “and for you to relax a little. You seemed stressed, and this helped. Or at least, I should hope so. If nothing else, you got a good lunch out of it.”

Ahsoka laughed and then opened her eyes, blinking away the faint fog that had lightly blanketed her mind. “Thank you for that,” she said, unable to keep a smile off her face.

“You are more than welcome,” Chirrut said. “Why don't we head back to the Temple? I think I have an idea for how to help you fully form your shields on your own.”

They went back to the Temple, Chirrut leading the way to one of the practice spaces deeper within. It had a soft grass-like plant covering the floor, its faintly sweet scent filling the air. Ahsoka hummed happily at the scent. It wasn't overwhelming and was pleasant to smell.

“Shoes off, please,” Chirrut requested. Ahsoka did as requested, taking her boots and socks off. Bly did the same while Chirrut had Ahsoka go get a practice 'saber that hung on a rack amongst many others on a far wall. Once she'd found one that fit her hand in size and weight, she joined her fellow Guides in the center of the practice floor.

“So, what now?” she asked, noting that Bly had taken a seat on the grass a few meters away, arranging himself into a comfortable meditation pose with an ease that Ahsoka half-envied.

“Now,” Chirrut said, “we start on some simple forms. Focus only on them. Allow the patterns to fill your mind to the exclusion of everything else. Close your eyes for this and let the Force guide you.”

“And this will help me build my shields?” Ahsoka inquired.

“Hopefully,” Chirrut replied. He took several steps to the side, giving the two of them plenty of room to work, and then closed his eyes before launching into a series of slow, easy motions with his ever-present staff. Ahsoka watched him for a few beats, shrugged, and then closed her eyes. Right. Let the Force guide her. That should be easy.

She sighed and then began her first form, going slow and steady like Chirrut was. The forms were easy; they were something that had been drilled into her since she was young. As Ahsoka moved through them, she felt her thoughts settle and then clear with the familiarity of the motions. She barely realized that Chirrut and Bly had eased off their own shields, allowing her to build her own naturally. It felt like no time at all had passed when Bly cleared his throat gently.

“Ahsoka? Open your eyes.”

Ahsoka did so, going completely still when she saw the lovely creature hovering in front of her. It looked to be some kind of bird, its small body covered in iridescent red and orange feathers that shimmered with psionic energy. Its wings moved almost faster than she could track them, but what Ahsoka found the most intriguing was the fact that it had four bright green eyes that were faceted like an insect's. Ahsoka made a wonder-filled noise before deactivating her practice 'saber and letting it fall to the ground.

She held out a hand for the spirit guide to land on. “Hello,” she said, giving it a smile as it landed on her fingers with a buzz of psionic energy she felt to her toes. “What's your name?”

“Tyko,” the spirit guide replied, surprising her with his deep, rumbling voice. It was slightly disconcerting coming from such a small creature, but Ahsoka figured she'd be able to get used to it. “It's good to finally meet you.”

“Same here,” Ahsoka said. “I feel... My shields feel like they're actually solid now.”

“We could test that,” Bly said. “Maybe head back to the market?”

“We could, or--” Chirrut began, but was interrupted when Plo Koon came into the meditation room, Wolffe at his side. Ahsoka frowned, cocking her head curiously. She could swear that she'd never seen the Kel Dor Guide before, but he seemed oddly familiar.

“Master Plo,” Chirrut said with a warm smile. “Sentinel Wolffe. How can we help you?”

“I felt a curious stirring in the Force that led me here,” Plo replied. He nodded at Ahsoka. “You feel familiar to me, young one. May I know your name?”

“Padawan Guide Ahsoka Tano,” Ahsoka said with a small smile. “This is Tyko.”

“A pleasure to meet you both,” Plo said. He knelt down in front of Ahsoka, briefly extending his empathic senses to sweep over her. A surprised but pleased noise left him when he realized where he knew her from. “You said you're a Padawan? I believe I remember where I know you from. About eleven years ago, I was on Shili. This was just after I'd woken to my Guide abilities. I was walking through the crowds there when I felt the Force shift around me, just as it did a few minutes ago. It led me to a young Togruta girl in the middle of a crowd. She stood out in the Force to me like a beacon in the darkest of nights. I took her to the Coruscant Temple as part of the last few things I did for the Jedi Order. I always wondered what had happened to her. And now...”

“Now you know,” Ahsoka finished with a warm smile. Plo nodded.

“Yes. I hope that we'll get to know one another better over time,” he said. “I feel as if there is a connection between us. I'd like to explore it if you'd allow it.”

“Well,” Ahsoka said, “I could always use more friends, not to mention people who can help me learn what I need to know. I wasn't exactly expecting to become a Guide.”

“Neither was I. I was a scant few weeks away from my Trials when I was sent on a very strenuous mission with my Master that awoke my gifts,” Plo told her. “It was very frustrating at first, but the people here have been very accommodating and understanding.”

Ahsoka glanced at Chirrut and Bly with a fond smile. “I know what you mean,” she said. “It's been tough adjusting without seeing my master every day, but I've had a lot of support from everyone here. I just wish I was still able to be by Master Kenobi's side and helping with the war.”

“Be glad you're not in the thick of the war, little warrior,” Bly said lightly. “It's not as glamorous as you'd think.”

“I know _that_ ,” Ahsoka said, and then sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I just want to help.”

Bly reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. “We know. I'm sure we can figure something out.”

“Wars aren't always about fighting,” Chirrut added. “There are multiple facets of a war on all sides.”

“And they're not always clear to see,” Wolffe said. “Besides, I doubt the war's going to be over tomorrow.” He gave her a thoughtful look. “I wonder if Senator Amidala could use a hand? She's one of our top leaders in the political side of this fight, and she's a highly trained Guide as well.”

“She also works with the Jedi quite a bit,” Plo said. “You would be right in the thick of things if you were by her side.”

“It couldn't hurt to ask,” Ahsoka said slowly, “but I'll let one of you do that since you know her better.”

“She's not _that_ frightening,” Chirrut said with a laugh.

“Are you going to be the one to tell her that?” Wolffe asked dryly. “Or worse, General Skywalker?”

“Of course not. I'm blind, not _insane_.”

As the good-natured bickering continued on, Ahsoka couldn't help but laugh to herself. Maybe she was worrying for nothing. Maybe she _would_ be useful in the war. If nothing else, she'd learn as much as she could for as long as she could and then go from there. She might even find a family along the way.

 


	11. Hope on the Horizon

It took the research team over a year to finally find a way to neutralize the clones' chips entirely. The day that finally happened saw quite a few bondings amongst the Sentinels and Guides amongst their ranks, sending broad ripples of joy and contentment resonating through the Force. The celebration was not shared by Palpatine or his associates, however, as they were not sure what it meant beyond nothing good for them. The Chancellor had done his best to further the Separatist agenda without actually seeming like it, but the successes that the Loyalist forces were having since they were all working as a cohesive whole rather than as two separate Orders were starting to be highly detrimental to the Separatists' success. Less and less systems were bowing to the Separatists' 'protection', which meant less and less resources for their use.

Palpatine wasn't too concerned with that at the moment. More of a thorn in his side was Dooku's belief that Palpatine didn't know about his supposedly secret apprentice. It had been faintly amusing at first that Dooku thought his master didn't know about Ventress, but after a while, Palpatine's amusement had faded when Dooku insisted on believing he was getting away with it. The Rule of Two had been established for a reason. It kept power struggles and in-fighting from being too commonplace, and also kept the Sith from being hunted _en masse_ by their enemies. Two could slip away where many could not, after all.

The Chancellor knew he'd have to take care of that little problem soon. The question was, should he take out Dooku and leave Ventress alive, kill both of them, or just kill Ventress? Each option had its pros and cons, to be sure, but he would need to plan carefully so that it didn't affect the Separatists' efforts too horribly. Perhaps a test would be in order. Palpatine smiled to himself, the expression cruel. Oh, yes, a test. And if Dooku didn't pass? Then perhaps Ventress would be a more worthy apprentice.

With that in mind, he went to his private chambers on his ship and, after making sure his communications were triply secure, contacted Dooku.

“My Lord,” Dooku's hologram said with a small bow. “What can I do for you?”

“Ah, Count Dooku. I find myself troubled.”

Dooku looked surprised. “You do, my Lord? How can I help to ease your burden?”

Palpatine smiled thinly. “Kill your apprentice.”

Dooku froze. “My... apprentice?”

“Yes. Asajj Ventress. Did you really think that I wasn't aware of her or how you regard her?” Palpatine asked with an arched eyebrow. “I am not a fool. The Rule of Two exists for a reason. Either she dies or you do. It's that simple. There are others who can rise to lead the Separatists, after all. Do _not_ consider yourself invaluable. This is your last and only chance.”

“Of course, my Lord,” Dooku said tersely. “It will be done.”

“You have two days, and you must bring proof of her death to me,” Palpatine told him. “Disobedience will not be tolerated.”

“It will be done,” Dooku replied with another short bow. He cut the connection after Palpatine dismissed him, only just restraining himself from tossing the hand-held communicator across the room and against a wall. Ventress was too valuable to die. How _dare_ Palpatine demand she be killed! Dooku huffed in annoyance as he left his quarters on his personal frigate, his expression thunderous. His underlings scattered out of his way, not wanting to be caught in his wrath.

When he reached the bridge, he directed the pilots to go to Ventress' last known location. They would need to meet up and regroup, as well as figure out what to do about Palpatine. Dooku smiled to himself, the expression not boding well for the Chancellor at all. Perhaps it was time for a major shift in power...

Once Dooku and Ventress met up, they started planning their attack against Palpatine. Two days was a short time to put together any sort of solid plan, but they weren't going to allow the Chancellor to formulate any sort of defense. Their plan was daring and possibly suicidal, but both Dooku and Ventress wanted to be free of Palpatine's rule and it would strike a blow against the Republic at the same time. The escape plan would be the key in all of this, as the retaliation would likely be swift amongst Palpatine's supporters and guards.

The potential reward was well worth the risk, in their opinions, so the plan was set into motion late one rainy night when one of their spies in the Senate building on Coruscant informed them that Palpatine was working without any guards on standby in his office itself. Dooku and Ventress made sure to shield their presences in the Force as much as they could, all but negating the ability to sense them as Ventress carefully maneuvered an illegally shielded airspeeder to just below one of the windows of Palpatine's office.

Dooku poured a highly illegal and toxic substance along the base of the glass of the window, holding his breath until the last bit of liquid had tipped out of the metal vial onto the glass. It was specially formulated to quickly dissolve glass of any kind, leaving metal and other materials intact. Originally it had been created to be used in artisan glass making for specialty etched designs, but it had been banned when it had been found out to be able to eat through any sort of glass, silica-based or not, not to mention the problems created with its toxic nature.

Dooku and Ventress used the Force to help them into the office safely once the glass was all gone-- something that barely took twenty seconds, if that –lightsabers snapping into life once they landed on solid ground. They'd counted on Palpatine not having his own lightsaber on him since it would be highly suspicious for him to publicly carry such a weapon. When they landed in the office, Palpatine was nowhere to be seen.

Dooku frowned, looking around the wind-blown office. The statue of Sistros that usually sat against one of the walls was ruined, a lightsaber-sized hole in its middle still bubbling and melting gently.

“Be on your guard,” he told Ventress as they stepped further into the office. Ventress nodded, keeping her lightsaber at the ready. As they passed through to the antechamber, Palpatine came out of a side room, lightsaber driving downwards in attack. Dooku hastily blocked it, the sharp sizzle of the two plasma blades coming together filling the room. Ventress moved out of the way, watching for an opening in the fight.

The two older Sith were soon locked into a deadly dance, with Ventress doing her best to use the Force to trip up Palpatine at every chance she got. Palpatine growled and shoved her into the nearest wall with an over-powered Force push. She hit the side of the Sistros statue, her head striking it sharply. She crumpled to the ground with a low cry, her lightsaber dropping out of her hand and clattering away.

No one in the room noticed the wide-eyed form of Jar Jar Binks standing briefly in the open doorway of the antechamber, a datapad in his hands. He slowly backed out of the room, letting the door shut in front of him before turning around in a whirl of robes and running off down the hallway. He burst into Padmé's suite of rooms, starting to babble the moment he saw the Senator and her constant Sentinel and Guide companions.

“Oh, weesa all gonna _die_ ,” Jar Jar moaned, sinking down into a nearby chair, his datapad falling to the floor. “There be Sith alla fightin' and tryin' to kill each other and then theysa gonna kill us and--”

“Jar Jar, _breathe_ ,” Padmé said, kneeling down next to his chair. She reached out and placed a hand on his, sending out enough calming waves of emotion towards him to soothe him. “Now, start over. Tell us what's happened and what you saw.”

“Meesa--” Jar Jar took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then started again. “Meesa was goin' to give da Chancellor da datapad for da most recent trade negotiations with da Bothans. Meesa got to da door, opened it, and den saw Sith alla fightin' and tryin' ta kill each other. Theysa _big bads_. ” He shivered, ears flapping against his head

“Sith?” Ahsoka said, surprised. She looked at Baze and Chirrut. “We _have_ to go take care of them.”

“No, _we_ will take care of them,” Baze corrected, gesturing at himself and Chirrut. “ _You_ will stay here with Padmé and Jar Jar. Contact our two Orders and tell them what's going on. This isn't going to be able to be covered up because we're not going to let it.”

Ahsoka didn't look happy but nodded anyways, going into the bedroom she usually shared with Sebra Kirsch. The other young female was off on Naboo at the moment, visiting her family. She returned with a com-link, Tyko fluttering around her head. The spirit guide buzzed quickly around the room, checking over everyone before disappearing into the spirit realm. It would only take him a minute or so to get to the Sentinel/Guide Temple while Ahsoka contacted the Jedi in roughly the same time.

Baze and Chirrut left the suite of rooms, trying to walk as casually as they could until they reached the hallway leading to the Chancellor's office. It was only then that they sped up and burst into the office just in time to see Palpatine strike down Count Dooku with a scarlet-bladed lightsaber, killing the Separatist leader with one swift stroke. Chirrut placed a hand on Baze's arm briefly, stopping him from going forward.

“Wait,” he murmured so only his Sentinel could hear him “Treat him as if he were innocent in all of this and just defending himself. I want to stall until the others get here. I don't think we'll be able to take him down on our own, especially not without a lightsaber.”

“A shot to the head would easily stop him,” Baze grumbled but saw the wisdom in his Guide's words nonetheless. They stepped forward, both noting the crumpled form of Ventress on the floor-- the apprentice was semi-conscious now, though her head was still bleeding sluggishly and she was in no shape to do anything beyond quietly moaning.

“Chancellor,” Chirrut called out as Baze gently checked over Ventress' wounds. She tried to bat him away but wasn't able to do so. Palpatine turned sharply, bringing the lightsaber up in a practiced defensive motion before relaxing some when he saw who it was.

“Oh. Guide Îmwe. Sentinel Malbus,” he said, turning the lightsaber off, though he didn't put it down entirely. “Thank goodness you came. These two attacked me without warning. I was luckily able to defend myself enough to stop Dooku.”

“Congratulations,” Chirrut replied calmly. “It will hopefully help turn the tide of the war. And the other one?”

“Probably his apprentice,” Palpatine said. “That's how Sith work, right? A master and an apprentice?”

“Yes,” Baze said, getting to his feet. “As far as I know, anyways. Are you hurt?”

“No, I'm fine, I think,” Palpatine told him, carefully picking his way across the broken bits of furniture and decorations that were on the floor. “Like I said, I was lucky.”

“I'd say so,” Baze agreed. “Still, we'd best get you and the young apprentice to the medical wing.” He paused. “Though perhaps we should bind her in some way.”

“I doubt she will cause too much trouble,” Palpatine said with a dismissive wave of his free hand. “She was barely part of the fight, as you can see.”

“Mm.” Chirrut turned when he heard the sound of hurried footsteps drawing near, and soon Obi-Wan, Mace Windu, Luminara Unduli, Anakin, Aayla, and Bly were coming in, all six looking like they were ready for a fight. Anakin, Aayla, and Bly focused on Palpatine, none of them trusting him at all, while the Jedi were more concerned with the corpse of Dooku and Ventress' weakened form. Chirrut and Baze backed off, joining their fellow Sentinels and Guides.

“His aura has changed significantly,” Chirrut murmured so only they could hear. “I don't see the shell of light at its edges any more. He must be masking it purely by will alone at the moment.”

“His eyes keep flickering to yellow and back again,” Anakin muttered. “I don't like it.”

“Neither do I, but let's get him somewhere more secure,” Aayla said just as quietly as a medical team came in, having been called by Obi-Wan over a com-link. They put Ventress on a hovering stretcher after making sure she didn't have any major head or neck wounds, securing her wrists and ankles to the stretcher with flexible cuffs. Half the team took her and Palpatine to the medical wing, the Jedi, Anakin, Aayla, and Bly following after them, while the other half took care of Dooku's corpse, putting it into a body bag to be examined and then cremated afterwards, leaving the mess to be cleaned up by repair and maintenance droids.

Baze and Chirrut collected the lost lightsabers after the medical team had left, not wanting to leave them abandoned and lying around. Baze tucked them into his pockets, stopping by his and Chirrut's quarters and locking them up securely before rejoining his Guide in the hall. He didn't want them falling into the wrong hands or disappearing suddenly at a crucial time.

“The kyber crystals in those 'sabers are all but screaming in pain to be cleansed and renewed,” Chirrut said with a sigh. “We'll have to find a way to do that.”

Baze nodded, as they went to collect Padmé and Ahsoka from Padmé's quarters-- Jar Jar had left to go to his own quarters nearby --trusting that Chirrut would find a way to do just that in time. He had been expecting to leave them there until everything was done, but Chirrut had had a feeling that they would be needed to help expose Palpatine. Baze had learned to trust his Guides feelings, so the two Guides were gathered and then the now-expanded party made its way to the medical wing. Only Mace and Luminara had remained of the Jedi, with Obi-Wan being sent off to report to the rest of the Jedi Council; Aayla and Bly were off reporting to the Sentinel/Guide Council.

“Chancellor,” Padmé said as she swept gracefully into the medical wing, giving him a quickly composed look of perfectly balanced worry and concern. She absolutely loathed him, to be honest, but was adept in keeping that to herself due to both her training as a Guide and as a politician. “I heard that you were attacked. Are you alright?”

Palpatine, who was sitting on an exam bed as a medical droid scanned him, gave her a tired smile and waved off her concern. “No need to worry, my dear,” he assured her. “I'm exhausted but otherwise unscathed.”

“May I double-check with a brief empathic scan, just in case?” Padmé asked as she came to a halt next to his bed. “Just for my own peace of mind. I won't be intrusive, I promise.”

Palpatine hesitated for a moment, his smile falling briefly before he nodded. “Go ahead. Just a surface scan.”

“Of course,” Padmé said before placing a gentle hand against his arm, which was still bared from the medical droid taking a blood sample earlier. She kept her scan light, but it was impossible not to hide the sharp flinch that resulted even from a brief skim of his aura. Anakin moved forward to see what was going on, one hand brushing past his waist-- and therefore his lightsaber –as he did so. This seemed to be all the impetus the still on-edge and hair-triggered Sith Lord needed to strike out, pulling Padmé sharply against him before he summoned the lightsaber that was still nearby and ignited it before them in a desperate show of defense.

Anakin stopped mid-stride, his eyes widening in surprise before his face went stone-like in his anger. He let out a warning snarl, immediately launching past any reasonable shred of humanity and landing firmly in a state of primal being that was often referred to as Blessed Protector mode as his bonded Guide was threatened with bodily harm. He ignited his own lightsaber, the blue blade snapping into life.

“I would suggest that you let her go immediately,” Baze growled, stepping forward as well. “This isn't going to end well for you.”

Palpatine let out a harsh laugh, his eyes now firmly a bilious yellow color as he let his full Dark Side aura out to play. “Please. Like a few Sentinels and Jedi are going to be able to defeat a Sith Lord,” he sneered. He lifted his saber just enough to shove Padmé at Anakin in distraction before starting to attack Mace and Luminara, considering them the greater threat. Anakin quickly made sure that Padmé was alright before directing her to join Ahsoka away from the fight and then joining in the battle.

Baze and Chirrut stood guard over Padmé and Ahsoka, as neither Padmé's nor Baze's blasters were of any use in close quarters like this and Chirrut's wooden staff was no match against lightsabers. While Ahsoka was eager to help in any way she could, she knew she'd only be in the way if she tried to join the fight at the moment. Fighting against a Sith Lord was no easy task, even with three against one. They didn't need a still-learning Padawan hindering them. She'd gladly hang back and help protect Padmé with Baze and Chirrut in that case.

Anakin, Mace, and Luminara were battling against Palpatine the best they could, with the Sith Lord using any and all tactics he could to throw his opponents off balance as much as he could. Anakin wasn't going to stop until the threat against his Guide was dead, no matter what happened or what anyone said. He knew that the Jedi wouldn't like that too much, but he didn't care at all. He wasn't about to let a threat against those he cared for survive to cause trouble for them in the future.

Palpatine sent a blast of Force lightning at Mace, making the Jedi Master have to go on the defense, his lightsaber catching most of the brunt of the blast. Some of the lightning did hit him, causing him to cry out in pain. Luminara caught Palpatine's attention, drawing it away from her fellow Jedi so Mace could recover. That opened up an opportunity for Anakin to attack heavily from behind, allowing him to bring his lightsaber harshly across Palpatine's back while he was focused on blocking Luminara's attacks from the front.

The dual attack brought Palpatine to his knees, something that Anakin took advantage of. He used the Force to keep Palpatine down before slicing swiftly across his shoulders, taking his head off with one clean swipe. Palpatine's corpse sank to the ground, the cauterized parts on its head and neck keeping any blood from getting onto the floor. Anakin nudged the torso with a booted foot just in case before letting out a satisfied growl and then turning off his lightsaber. The threat was permanently neutralized, which meant that his Guide and Pack were no longer in danger.

It would take some time before he was fully out of Blessed Protector mode, and that would only be solved after a thorough bonding session with Padmé. He left Palpatine's corpse behind in favor of checking on his Guide, father figures, and the Padawan in their care. He ignore Mace and Luminara's protests about the killing, pulling Padmé into a tight hug and tucking his nose against the crook of her neck as he scented her. Baze placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently.

“Let's get out of here,” Anakin said. “I don't want to have to stay here for longer than we have to.”

“What will happen to the Sith apprentice?” Padmé asked, glancing over at the bed where Ventress was laying. She was being kept unconscious by a stasis field, the better for her to heal and recover.

“I don't know,” Anakin admitted. He looked over at Mace and Luminara, the latter of whom shrugged faintly.

“We'll take care of her,” she said. “I don't know what the rest of the Council will decide, but we'll have to see.”

“We'll deal with Palpatine as well,” Mace added in, looking down at Palpatine's corpse. “He'll have to be cremated.”

Padmé nodded. “He doesn't deserve a traditional Naboo funeral,” she said firmly. “Do whatever you want with him.” She looked up at Anakin. “Let's go.”

Anakin led her out of the medical wing, the rest of his small pack following after them. They returned to Padmé's suite of rooms, with Anakin and Padmé going into the soundproofed and psionically shielded bedroom, the door locking behind them. They emerged several hours later, Anakin looking far less wild-eyed and tense than when they'd entered the room.

Baze chuckled softly, earning a gentle nudge from Chirrut. “Feeling better?” Baze asked.

Anakin nodded. “Much,” he said. “You didn't have to wait for us here.”

“Are you kidding?” Ahsoka said, getting up from her chair and abandoning the datapad she'd been poking at off and on over the past few hours. “We wouldn't want to be anywhere else.” She wrinkled her nose. “Besides, the rest of the Senate building's gone crazy since the news broke on the Holonet. It'll be all over the galaxy by lunch tomorrow that the Chancellor was a Sith if it hasn't spread that far already.”

“Did they say what happened?” Padmé asked. Ahsoka shook her head.

“No, only that a combined force of Jedi, Sentinels, and Guides stopped him and put him down,” Ahsoka replied. She paused briefly before hugging Padmé and then Anakin. “I'm glad you're okay, Master Skywalker.”

“It's Anakin,” Anakin corrected gently with a fond smile as he returned the hug. “You know that, Ahsoka. There's no need for titles between us.”

“You'll probably have to keep telling me that for a long time.” Ahsoka stepped back once the hug was over, rubbing at the back of her neck. “So... now what?”

“Well, even with both Palpatine and Dooku dead, there's still a lot of work to do before the galaxy is at peace once more,” Chirrut said. “We'll have to keep working together to achieve it, and it could take years to repair the damage the Separatists have caused. The war isn't over yet, and others could rise to take their places in the battle. We will continue to fight to bring about a better future for us all regardless of what happens and who stands in our way. That's just who we are and what the Force asks of us, Jedi, Sentinel, or Guide.”

His words brought a somber air to the group as they contemplated them. Years later, they would look back on that day and recognize that what Chirrut had said couldn't have been closer to the truth. The fight was long and hard, and many tried to go against them, but eventually the galaxy had regained a moderate level of peace and prosperity. There would always be those who would try to ruin that, but until the last of the two Orders had been wiped out, the Sentinels, Guides, and their Jedi brethren would be there to stand against them as warriors for the Force and protectors of the galaxy.

 


	12. Epilogue

Laughter rang out in one of the smaller dining halls of the Jedha Sentinel/Guide temple, most of it coming from a full table in one of the corners. The extended Skywalker familial Pack sat there, all of them enjoying a good meal and even better company. Anakin and Padmé were celebrating their twenty-second anniversary as a fully bonded pair and were in the places of pride at the head of the table. Baze and Chirrut sat across from them, Ahsoka and her most recent Padawan to Chirrut's left, and Luke and Leia, Anakin and Padmé's children, sat on either side of their parents.

Luke and Leia had both inherited their parents' gifts, though Luke was the Guide of the pair and Leia the Sentinel. Luke had already found his Sentinel in a pilot named Bodhi Rook, and though Bodhi was several years older than Luke, they seemed to fit together just as well as any other pair. Leia had only recently discovered her Guide in a former smuggler named Han Solo and was currently courting him with the intention of bonding. Han had come into his gifts later in his life, only realizing what he was within the past few years. Leia and Han tended to butt heads often, as both were stubborn to no end, but Han was warming up to the idea of being Leia's Guide, especially when he realized he didn't have to give up his traveling ways entirely, since Leia intended on being a traveling ambassador for the Sentinel/Guide Order once they bonded fully. Luke and Bodhi served on one of the Order's peacekeeping ships, the _Guardian_ , as pilots and ground fighters when needed, which was more often than Padmé preferred.

The galaxy had settled down quite a bit since Palpatine's death, though the war had dragged on for a further two years after that. Eventually, the majority of Separatist leadership had been either captured or killed in battle, leaving their underlings to fight amongst themselves for power. The two Orders had worked hard to keep the peace during that time, with the clone army aiding immensely in that effort. The clones now often served as traveling marshals and peacekeepers, helping to keep as much of the galaxy safe as was possible. There were always planets that needed help fighting and beings willing to take advantage of others, so their work was never in short supply.

Anakin looked around the table, a pleased warmth settling in his chest. Padmé looked over at her husband and Sentinel, giving him a soft smile.

“You seem happy,” she said quietly, leaning into him. He slid an arm around her waist before dropping a kiss against her hair.

“I am,” Anakin replied. “I've got my family and friends around me. Why wouldn't I be happy?”

“And all because of a space ship needing repairs after a battle,” Padmé mused. “I thank the Force and fates every day that we met, my love.”

“As do I, angel, as do I.”

Anakin returned his attention to the others, unable and unwilling to think that, had things gone differently and he'd not been a Sentinel, he would never have had so much happiness. He glanced over at Chirrut and Baze, both of whom were grayer and more distinguished with age now, but still as strong and spry as ever. It was like Chirrut always said: all was as the Force willed it.

For a slave boy from Tatooine who had once dreamed of escaping to the stars, Anakin's life had been far better than he'd ever imagined, and he was very, very content with that.

 


End file.
